Projekt Apocalypse: Girls und Panzer
by SuperSwanky69
Summary: The World was in flames. China and North Korea invades South Korea and Southeast Asia, taking advantage of the fact that the USA is in a Civil War. Taiwan, Mongolia, South Korea, and Southeast Asia falls to China. And in Japan, Miho and her Senshadou teammates are conscripted into the JFSD, to protect Japan from a foreign invasion.
1. Fragile Peace

**Chapter one: Fragile Peace**

 **Ooarai girls High School Carrier**

The weather of June 4th, 2024 was beautiful. The sun was shining brightly, and the wind was a slight breeze. There were no clouds in the sky, a perfect summer day.

For Nishizumi Miho, this was a great day to walk home from school. She was strolling through the park looking at the scenery. _This is such a nice day,_ she whistled, _living on the carrier is so wonderful. There isn't any dangers that could hurt me. I'm so lucky to be living on a carrier, and not anywhere else in Asia._

She was worried about the war that was currently happening in Asia. China had grown rapidly, and had conquered Mongolia, Taiwan, Southeast Asia and many other countries. They were now focusing all of their attention on Malaysia, where the Allied forces of Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, the Philippines and New Zealand were barely holding them back. North Korea also acted, invading and conquering South Korea within a year.

She looked at her school uniform, which was a JSDF uniform instead of the usual sailor uniform that schools issued to girls. Ooarai Girls High School was just one of the school carriers that were being administered by the JSDF, and their Senshadou teams were now literally part of the military. Their school schedule was changed to suit a military regimen, with classes such as English and History being taken out and replaced with firearms training and medical aid. Their Senshadou tanks were updated to modern standards, with the latest armor and weapon technologies inputted into them. Despite this, the controls and looks of the tanks remained the same so the girls would be comfortable in using them.

Miho just sighed at the thought being in the JSDF. _Training school children-girls in the art of war? What has the world become? I understand Japan has a staggering population and needs everybody they can get they can get their hands on, but still, I feel like that's going too far-_ She was so caught up in her thoughts that she accidentally bumped into a telephone pole. "Ow!" She yelped as stumbled back.

"Nishizumi-dono!" Miho turned around to see her classmate Akiyama Yukari run up to her. "Are you alright?" she asked worriedly.

"I'm fine," Miho reassured her friend. "Where is everyone else?" She asked Yukari.

"They're waiting at the cafe, where we were going to meet up. Did you forget?" Yukari answered quickly.

Miho nodded. "Yeah, sorry," She apologized.

Yukari saluted. "No problem, Nishizumi-dono! Just follow me!"

Twenty minutes later they were at the cafe, which was plastered with tanks. They enter through the doorway and hear a loud "Miporin! Over here!" from across the cafe. Miho and Yukari looked over to see a ginger girl waving her arms. They walked over to the table where the girl was standing.

"You're late. What happened?" The girl asked.

"Sorry, Saori-san. I was thinking about a few things and wandered off," Miho apologized profusely.

The ginger girl, Takebe Saori sat down. "It's alright. As long as you're here we have the whole team!" She said excitedly, "Come on, order a cake." She pulled Miho to the seat next to her. She was about to press the buzzer when another hand pressed the buzzer before her.

A waitress quickly walked over. "What is your order-ugh," The waitress rolled her eyes and let out a disapproving groan when she saw the girl that pressed the buzzer. "Ma'am, I've been telling you for the last five months, due to rationing, we can not serve seconds or extra-large servings."

"Oh my," Was the only reply from the black haired girl.

"Hana! You need to stop eating so much," Saori told her.

Hana looked up. "You need to lose weight, don't you?" She said nonchalantly.

"I am losing weight from all the rationing!" Saori pouted, her cheeks puffing out. She looked at the waitress. "I'll take a coffee please, and a cake for Miho please." She ordered.

"What about the sleeping girl?" The waitress asked.

Saori looked across the table. A girl was sleeping soundly, her head in her arms. "Mako, what do you want?" She shook Mako's head.

Mako groaned, and raised her head. "Caaaake," She groaned slowly and loudly. The waitress bowed and left, but not after giving Hana a glare.

The caked and coffee came, along with the silent cries of Hana.

Saori was waving her arms in excitement as she explained this guy she just met to Miho. "So he's an army guy, and he's soooo smart and good looking. He's older than me, but that's not really a problem. He's also a radio operator for a tank, just like me, so we can communicate during training, how cool is that? He can come over and watch us practice senshadou, right?" She leaned in on Miho's face.

"Maybe..." Miho chuckled uncomfortably.

Mako looked up. "Let's just hope he won't get arrested and court martialed for sexual harassment and rape," She mumbled.

Saori glared at Mako before going back to Miho. "And he's stationed on the carrier, so we can meet whenever we want to! It's going to be great!" She nearly screamed with delight. Miho just looked at her cake awkwardly.

"Well, at least there's more than a few MPs around to haul him away," Mako muttered. "Stop ruining my dreams!" Saori grabbed Mako's shoulders.

Wanting to change the subject, Miho turned to Yukari. "So how's your family doing?" She asked.

Yukari perked up. "Well, the family business is a bit at a loss with my dad in the reserves, but he sends pictures of tanks to me, so I'm pretty fine right now!" She answered quickly. "Isn't your mother in the JSDF as well?" She inquired.

Miho nodded. "Yeah, she became a tank instructor for new JSDF recruits. I think the head of the Shimada style also became a JSDF instructor," She took a sip of coffee.

Hana chipped in as well. "Shinzaburo was also drafted into the JSDF. I hope he's doing well," She spoke sadly.

Saori groaned. "Do you think any of this is necessary?" She asked. "Like conscripting a bunch of people and forcing us to become a part of the army. We're only high schoolers! I think this is going a bit too far." She complained.

Yukari cleared her throat. "Well, we are surrounded by a hostile expansionist nation, so it only makes sense for Japan to switch to a policy of nation-wide conscription. The growth of a military industrial complex is also a smart idea. But I personally think the Chinese don't have the resources required to launch an invasion of Japan, since they're fighting in Malaysia," Yukari replied.

"What about the North Koreans?" Mako wondered.

Yukari turned, making Mako inch back a little. "Don't worry! North Korea hasn't made a move in two years. And they're even less prepared than China, I bet! Even if they do try to attack us, our navy and airforce would be able to defend against any attempt!" Yukari pumped her arms up and down. "Our military is one of the most powerful in the world right now. Especially since now the U.S. army is falling apart."

"But what we don't have is experience. The North Koreans and Chinese have actual combat experience. The JSDF hasn't participated in a wide-scale conflict," Miho said.

"Do not worry Nishizumi-dono. It is extremely hard to invade an island nation. Look at how the Germans failed in their attempt to invade Great Britain! And how the U.S. was dissuaded to invade Japan! I assure you, we will be safe!" Yukari beamed confidently.

Miho smiled a little bit. "Maybe you're right," She said. She felt a buzz in her pocket. She took her phone out and saw it was a text from Key, the captain of the Saunders High School Senshadou team.

 _Hey, Miho. How is everything? Are you feeling good?_ Was the text. Miho texted back. _I'm doing fine. What about you?_

Key: _Great! My fitness programs goes really well with the JSDF training and it's really refreshing. For the others though, I don't think they like it. Naomi just chews bubblegum and Alisa is complaining as usual._

Miho: _Heh, yeah, she was quite the nervous wreck during our match. Is she feeling worse, or what?_

Key: _She's crying because her Takashi was drafted into the army. Poor girl, I hope she feels better._

Miho: _Saori's the opposite. She's talking about some army guy she just met, and I'm pretty sure she wants to go all the way to home base._

Key: _She's a pretty bold one. All the soldiers stationed to Saunders tries to flirt with me, but I just ignore them. Most of them are sailors from the navy ships patrolling our carrier. Do you have them?_

Miho: _No, we're on the opposite side of the country, so there's no worry of a naval attack._

Key: _Safety measures sure are a hassle, aren't they?_

Miho looked at the text. _Protection a hassle?_ She shrugged. _If I was being harassed, I would feel the same way,_ she thought _._ She looked back to her phone, and saw she got another text from Key.

Key: _Oh, crap. Gotta go. I'll text you back._

Miho: _Oh, alright. See you later._

 **Saunders Girl High School Carrier**

Alisa was scrolling through the internet, looking at American news websites.

"Anything new?" Naomi peered over Alisa's shoulder.

"Pittsburgh fell to the Great Lakes Confederation, Jacksonville was torched, and according to NYT, New York is the new Stalingrad," Alisa listed off the several headlines.

"Hm. Good to see you have a weird obsession other than Takashi," Naomi muttered.

Alisa turned around and looked at her with tears in her eyes. "Why would you say that," She wailed.

"Jeez, sorry." Naomi took a step back.

Key ran excitedly into the room. "Alisa, Naomi, follow me! We have guests!"

They ran outside to the helipad, where a JSDF Boeing CH-47 Chinook landed within minutes. A man stepped out of the cockpit, opened up the side doors and several young females stepped out. They were all disheveled and skinny, with their ribs protruding out. Their eyes were wide with fear, jumping at every noise. They had bags under their eyes, and they stumbled to the corner of the helipad and crumpled down to the ground. Several students rushed over and got them blankets and coffee.

By now several Saunders students surrounded the helipad, where the young man was standing.

Key pushed through them and walked right up to the man. "Good afternoon, Captain!' She saluted smartly.

The man saluted back. "Your Key, right? You got the rank right, but just call me Nakajima!" He roared.

Key nodded. "So, what brings you here, Captain..ur Nakajima-san?" She asked.

Nakajima pointed to the girls that had unloaded from the Chinook, who were now bundled together. "Those girls were found off the coast of Tsushima, in a small boat all the way from Busan, Korea. How they survived that long, I have no idea," he leaned in close to Key's ear. "But they found the skeleton of a female. You know what that means, right?" Key's face turned white. "And these girls claim to be the Senshadou team for South Korea." He said.

Key looked over at the girls, just eight of them with wide eyes. She walked over to them. "Hey, your guys are the South Korean Senshadou team?" She asked them.

One girl stood up, clearly the leader of the group. She had long, black hair and wore glasses. "I'm the captain, Tae Seo-yeon," She said.

Key took out her hand. "I'm Key, captain of the Saunders Senshadou team. Nice to meet you," Seo-yeon shook her hand.

Key looked at the other girls. "Is this the whole team?" She asked.

Seo-yeon started to cry. "They're all that's left," She placed her head in Key's chest, who hugged her. "Some of them were killed in the fighting against North Korea, but the rest of them were murdered in the prison camps…"

"Killed in the fighting? Prison camps?" Key stared at Seo-yeon.

Seo-yeon nodded. "We were recruited into the army to defend our country against the North Korean invasion. Our first battle was in Seoul, where we tried to keep the enemy out of our capital. The North Koreans won the battle, and a huge chunk of the team was killed. We were then forced to retreat to Daejeon," She sniffled, "We were then forced to fight in the battle for Daejeon, where I met her…"

"Her?" Key asked.

Sae-yeon trembled. "Ryuk Mi-jing, the captain of the North Korean Senshadou team," She replied.

Key froze in shock. _North Korean Senshadou team?_ "I thought they were just a rumor," She mumbled.

Sae-yeon nodded. "I thought so too. They are some of the most brutal soldiers of the North Korean military. They murdered civilians and surrendering soldiers. They're also among the most fanatical servants of the North Korean regime and their leader. Especially Ryuk Mi-jing. She's the most barbaric of them all. She kills innocent civilians and crushes prisoners with her tank," She explained.

"That's horrible…" Key whispered.

Sae-yeon continued. "I fought her personally in Daejeon. I was in the empty shell of a house, looking over the street outside. I saw a North Korean tank turn the corner and advance towards me. I fired right at the turret, confident in my abilities. The entire street was covered with clouds of white dust. I thought I got it, but when the dust cleared the tank was just fine, and it aimed its barrel at me. It fired, and hit the only post that held the house together. I retreated from the house just as it collapsed on itself. All the dirt and dust that kicked up helped me escape unscathed.

"I drove down the street, where I was joined by three of my friends. I thought I was safe, but I was wrong. The tank next to me exploded, and when I turned around I saw the same North Korean tank chasing us. I had my gunner train the gun on the enemy tank, but missed when she fired. The North Korean tank fired again, and the allied tank to my right began to smoke and crashed into a building. My last ally tried fighting back as well, but the turret imploded when the North Korean shot through it.

"The hatch of the tank opened, and the North Korean commander showed her face to me. That was Ryuk. She fired again, and I felt my tank jerk violently. My tank stopped, and when I looked down I saw my entire crew was killed. I turned my head around and saw a squad of North Korean soldiers pointing their guns at me, while Ryuk looked at me with a smug expression." She spat.

"I was captured along with the remaining members of my team, and was stuffed into cattle cars with thousands of other prisoners. We had to endure a hell of huddling together like a pack of sardines, with no food or drinks, and nowhere to use the bathroom. I don't know how many of us died in the three day ride," She wiped her eyes. "We eventually reached a prison camp, where things got even worse. The guards treated like we were trash. We were beaten, killed and raped by those damn brutes. Ryuk herself sought me out in the prison camp, because she was the captain of the North Korean Senshadou team and I was the captain of the South Korean Senshadou team. She tortured me alone for two years, abusing my friends in front of me and humiliating me." She shook with anger.

"I had enough. I joined a group of prisoners that were planning a breakout of the prison. So one night, nearly 10,000 prisoners, including myself and many others from the team staged a revolt. It was initially successful, surprisingly. The guards were overpowered and some of us even got weapons. We then tried to escape, but the guards reorganized and led a counterattack. They even used tanks to kill the prisoners. I was just one of the lucky few that even managed to escape the camp. I led my girls through the countryside, being fed and protected by sympathetic civilians while hiding from the occupational forces. We managed to reach Busan, where we stole a boat and sailed for Japan," She finished. "My friends were killed by those bastards." She muttered, tears rolling down her cheeks. "They took over my country and did unspeakable crimes to my countrymen. They're going to pay."

Key's face was pale, her fists were tightly clenched. "Those bastards.." She whispered. She took a heavy breath and calmed down. "Don't worry." She told Seo-yeon. "Why don't you stay with us for the time being? We're going to fight together and free your family and friends!" She exclaimed confidently.

Seo-yeon looked up. "Really?" She whimpered.

Key gave a thumbs up. "You bet!"

 **Ooarai Girls High School Carrier**

Miho was in her house when she got a text from Key. Her eyes widened as she read the message. _A North and South Korean Senshadou team? Things are getting out of hand._ She thought as she turned on the TV.

It was the news, spouting out the same things as always. "The Chinese 14th Army has taken Kuala Dungun, further pushing the Allied forces back several kilometers. This could be the push that could take Kuala Lumpur..." Miho changed the channel, only to find another news channel.

" Allied forces of Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and the Philippines have been pushed back, losing over 250,000 soldiers in the process…"

"Last friday over 40,000 American troops surrendered to Cascadian soldiers in Sacramento…"

"Poznan was liberated by German, Czech and Austrian forces from Russian troops. The Russians have retreated all the way to Bydgoszcz…"

Miho just sighed and took out the bento box she bought for dinner. Maybe she should have called Saori; she was a good cook, and was always willing to make something for anyone. But Miho quickly changed her mind after taking a bite. The bento was tonkatsu with rice, and it was delicious. She was finishing up when her phone started ringing. It was "Oira Boko Daze" or the Boko song, signifying the call was from Shimada Alice.

Miho quickly picked it up. "Alice!" She exclaimed.

" _Hello, Nishizumi Miho,_ " Alice's quiet voice drifted through the phone.

"How are you?" Miho asked.

" _Lonely. Mother, Rumi, Azumi and Megumi are gone,_ " Alice replied, sighing heavily. " _I'm fine being lonely anyways, though._ "

"Why don't you come over to Ooarai then? You can be with me!"

" _Oh, that seems like a good idea. I'll try my best to ask the commander in charge if I could move in with you,_ " Alice's voice turned cheerful by the suggestion. " _Living with you would be fun!_ "

"Yeah! I'll be looking forward to it!" Miho hung up and started humming, happy that something good happened.

She was so happy she didn't hear the news: "And in other news, the Korean peninsula is buzzing with suspicious behavior, with several North Korean ships seen off the coast of Tsushima…"


	2. An Unsettling Turn of Events

**Chapter Two:** **An Unsettling Turn of Events..**

 **Unspecified location**

 _The woman stared through her binoculars, watching the hill in front of her._

" _Commander Nishizumi, no enemy tanks here, shall we advance?" A voice crackled through her throat microphone._

 _The woman sat down in the commander's seat. "You have my permission. All Panzers, follow Erika!" She ordered._

" _What about us, commander?" Her driver asked._

 _The woman looked down. "We'll stay here and watch the advance," She answered in a confident tone. She had a feeling the enemy was nearly shattered, with only one more push to complete victory. She smiled. After this she could have some rest, maybe go back home and visit her mother, possibly even her sister ._

 _She watched several Panzers, which have been outfitted with the latest armour, infrared and computer technologies and stocked with the most powerful shells start to advance up the hill. They stopped at the crest for a minute, before descending until the woman couldn't see them anymore._

" _There's not a single enemy," remarked one of the panzer commanders._

" _That's strange…" Another one said._

" _Commander, what should we do?" Erika asked._

" _Hold on, I'll be there in a minute." The woman replied, "Go." She ordered._

 _Her panzer started to move forwards, towards the hill._

" _What is that…. Oh god it's a tra-" One commander screamed before the transmission went static._

 _The woman heard the explosions from over the hill. "What's going on?" She demanded._

" _It seems the enemy set up an ambush!" Erika cried._

" _Calm down! I'll be there in a second!" The woman roared, "How many are there?" She demanded._

" _Just one!?" One Panzer commander answered in a panic, before shrieking in pain as her panzer exploded in a ball of fire._

 _The woman tapped her feet. "Hurry, hurry, hurry…" She mumbled._

 _Her panzer finally ascended to the top of the hill. The woman quickly opened up the hatch and peered over the hill. What she saw was a massacre. All of the panzers below were either on fire or had massive holes in them. Their crews were sprawled on their destroyed tanks and across the ground, blood pouring out of their bodies. The woman watched as Erika, her subordinate, crawl out of a destroyed Tiger II tank, only to be blown apart by the single enemy tank on the battlefield._

 _The woman stared at the carnage, not believing her own eyes. She stared for a few seconds before jolting to action. "Take that tank out!" She barked. Her panzer fired a HEAT shell, which missed the tank by a few feet. The tank turned straight towards her panzer, and charged._

" _Fall back!" The woman ordered. Her panzer fired several more shells, few of them were a direct hit but didn't seem to affect the opposing tank. The woman stared in disbelief as the hatch to the cupola opened and a young girl wriggled out, just across from her. The girl seemed to be around the same age as her younger sister. She had flowing, long black hair, and had a scar down her right eye. Her tank clashed with the woman's panzer, which placed her face right next to the girls'. The woman, who was typically unemotional, clearly showed how frightened she was of this girl, and the girl took notice. She started to laugh maniacally, causing the woman to cringe. The girl fired her tank, launching the panzer backwards. The woman's last thoughts before blacking out was the regret of not saying goodbye to her sister…._

 **Kuromorimine Girl's High School carrier**

Nishizumi Maho woke up covered in sweat. _What the hell was that nightmare?_ She thought. _I haven't had one in years._ She shuddered when she remembered that crazy girl in the tank. _Who the hell is she?_ The image of her dead teammates, bloodied and mangled, was glued into her mind. She couldn't shake it off, and clasped her hands over her face in frustration. This was the worst feeling she ever felt. It was bad enough in a dream; if it happened in real life she wouldn't know how well she would take it. She continued to lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling until there was a knock at the door.

"Commander?" It was Erika, who opened the door, "Are you here? Commander?"

Maho shot up from her bed. "Yeah, I will be out in a minute," She replied.

One floor below, things were becoming increasingly confusing.

"Um, excuse me, but what are you doing here?" Kuromorimine student Akaboshi Koume asked quizzically at the strange group of girls that were clustered together in the room.

She took a step back when a girl in twin tails grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Where's the pasta? I demand pasta!" She shouted.

"Kuromorimine sure does lack in taste, right neesan?" A tomboy ran around the twin tails, flailing her arms and jumping up and down.

"I wish Taka-Chan was here with me." A blonde girl sighed sadly.

Koume took another step back. "please, leave," Her face was turning extremely pale.

The doors suddenly burst open. "There's the enemy! Charge!" A female voice bellowed out. Several girls ran across the room, tripping and falling as they run.

"Chi-ha-tan? What are you..." Koume was now on the verge of tears.

"Huh, where's Nishizumi-dono? Is she not feeling well today?" A tall girl asked.

"Maybe she are ate too much wurst and fell ill!" A short girl with glasses piped up.

"Good thinking, Fukuda! Who knew that such a strong rival would fall to the simple act of eating! Or perhaps she took a bite of some St. Gloriana rations! What a malicious trap," The tall one rambled.

They were all shouting so loud they didn't hear the sound of a kantele drifting throughout the room. They all turned towards the corner. A girl was playing the kantele, oblivious to the situation before her.

"It is Mika-dono from Keizoku High school! What brings you here?" The tall girl asked.

Mika looked up. "I was just brought here by the wind," She said.

"Mika! There you are! We've been looking for you!" Two girls walked in through the doorway.

Mika smiled. "Ah, Aki and Mikko, welcome home,"

"Please leave," Koume moaned, putting her face in her hands.

Erika and Maho walked down the staircase.

"What's going on here? Why are there so many people down here?" Erika demanded.

Everybody looked up at her.

"I heard there was a pasta party here," The twin tails spoke up.

"We were told the duck team was here as well," The tall girl added.

"And I was here to pick up the panther you promised to lend us," Mika finished.

"First of all, Anchovy, where the hell did you get that idea? And Nishi, who the hell is duck team? And Mika, you just want to steal one of our tanks!" Erika shouted.

"I told you it wouldn't work," The redhead next to Mika mumbled.

"Alas, it wasn't meant to be, Mikko," Mika answered while strumming her kantele.

Erika's face turned red. "Out! Everyone out!" Erika pushed all of them out of the room and shut the door.

"Who should we bother next, neesan?" The tomboy asked.

"We're investigating, Pepperoni!" The Anchovy shouted. "It's for Duce's world tour!"

 **Pravda Girls High School Carrier**

A tall blonde girl was standing out in the cold, waiting by the helipad. The wind whipped the snow against her face, but she remained still like a frozen statue. She wiped her face with her red mittens, and put them back in her fluffy jacket. Her brown Ushanka was damp from the snow that melted as it landed on the rabbit fur.

"What do you think she's doing, Nonna?" A little girl with short blonde hair poked her head out the window.

"If you want to, I will go ask her, Katyusha," Nonna, a tall girl with long black hair stood up.

"Please!" Katyusha smiled. Nonna waved and exited the school building.

"Klara!" Nonna shouted, and Klara turned around. "What are you doing?" She asked.

" _I am waiting for the man I love,_ " Klara answered in Russian. Nonna nodded and walked back into the Pravda school building.

"So," Katyusha jumped up, "What did she say?"

" _I am waiting for the man I love._." Nonna answered, to Katyusha's ire.

"No, in Japanese!" Katyusha yelled.

Nonna sighed. "She is waiting for the man she loves,"

Katyusha gasped and took a step back. "She had someone special like that? Nonna, we have to investigate!" She ordered. They both went outside to wait with Klara.

They stood outside for nearly an hour, covered in the snow. Finally, a Mil Mi-26 Russian transport helicopter appeared from the clouds and landed on the helipad. A large man exited the helicopter. He was around forty years old, and had a short, brown beard. His military uniform was dotted with ribbons, and the medals _clanked_ together as the man stepped down onto the icy ground

" _Papa_!" Klara propelled herself into the man's arms.

"Haha! _Klara, good to see you as well!_ " The man exclaimed.

Katyusha scoffed. "This is your man Klara? Sheesh, you have strange tastes," She grumbled.

Nonna tugged her shoulder. "That's her father," She whispered.

Katyusha let out a relieved sigh. "Oh, ok!I am Katyusha!" She exclaimed loudly.

Klara's father looked at her. "So this is your child, Klara?" He asked in proficient Japanese.

Katyusha's face turned beet red. "Klarra! What have you been telling him?" She screamed. Klara, her father and Nonna looked at each other and started laughing.

"Whaat?" Katyusha demanded, stamping her foot against the ground.

Klara's father wiped his eyes, which had teared up from laughter. "Sorry sorry, bad joke," He patted Katyusha's head. "Klara has told me great things about you. She seems to be really proud to be serving under you on the Senshadou team."

With that Katyusha beamed with pride. "Well, of course! I am the greatest!" She pumped her chest.

Klara's father turns to Nonna. " _And you are Nonna_?" He asked.

Nonna bows. " _Yes, indeed. It is an honor to meet you. For you to have taken time out of your day to fly all the way to our school carrier must have been an inconvenience,"_

The man laughed. " _Oh, don't worry about it. Being the prime minister of Russia has its benefits,"_

" _But surely you have more reasons than just meeting your daughter,"_ Nonna prodded. " _I do not think the president will permit you to travel at your own leisure. Especially now, when Russia is fighting a war against Western Europe."_

The man sighed in defeat. " _I've come here to give you information regarding China._ "

" _Information?"_

" _Yes, what they are planning after they conquer Malaysia."_

" _What are they going to do?"_ Nonna was puzzled. " _And how are they even going to take Malaysia? Half a dozen countries are fighting them as we speak!"_

" _The Chinese are not only fighting them on the frontlines, but are acting behind the scenes as well,_ " Klara's father said. " _They do have the largest standing military in the entire world. They can use brute force to change the diplomatic situation._ " He paused. " _China is preparing to launch an invasion so huge, it will dwarf Operation Barbarossa."_

" _What_?" Nonna shouted in astonishment.

Klara's father nodded gravely. " _According to my intelligence services, they are planning a wide-scale invasion sometime in 2025. They're going to recruit several other nations for the invasion. The target is unfortunately unknown as of now._ "

Katyusha took a step back, confused by all this talk. She looked back and forth. "Huh? What's going on?" She demanded.

Nonna looked at her with worrying eyes. She turned back to Klara's father. " _Why are you telling me this? Isn't China and Russia on friendly relations?_ " She questioned.

The man pulled Klara in closer and grimaced. " _Family is more important that politics. I'm doing this for Klara,_ " He said. A sad look took over his face. " _I believe the Motherland will lose the war. We've made too many enemies, more than any of us would have predicted. And I bear all the responsibility. I took advantage of the situation in Europe, with all of the countries fractured and divided. And for a while, we were victorious. The Baltics, Central Europe and Finland all fell to us. We even reached the gates of Berlin. But we have been pushed back all the way back into Poland. The tide has turned against us._ "

He stopped to take out a cigarette. But when he tried to light it, Klara snatched it out of his hand and crushed it with her foot. Klara's father chuckled. " _Just like your mother,_ " He muttered. He once more faced Nonna. " _I have a wife and two more sons back in Russia. You could say I sent Klara to Japan to keep her out of danger, but since things are getting dangerous in Asia as well, I wanted to assist her in any way possible."_

" _Why can't you move the family to Japan?_ " Klara asked frantically.

Klara's father sighed. " _I still have work to do in the Motherland, and can't bear to be separated by your mother and brothers. You could say I'm selfish in a way. I would like to send at least your brothers away, but they are too young to be separated, and I doubt they would agree to such actions. All of you are stubborn, just like your mother and I,"_ He smiled. But it quickly disappeared. " _Sometimes I wonder if I should finally choose between my family and the Motherland. I already steered my Motherland towards an uncertain future, but leaving with my wife and children would be abandoning the people to the results of my sins."_ Nonna could see the conflicting emotions in him; the decision to choose between his family and his responsibilities was tearing him apart. Sadness, regret, guilt, pain and others had gushed through him like a dam.

" _Prime Minister Tolokoff!_ " The pilot shouted. " _The President has summoned you back to Moscow immediately!"_

Klara's father nodded. He turned to face Katyusha. "Katyusha!" He bellowed, and Katyusha jumped back. "Thank you for being friends with my daughter. I hope you will continue to treat her well." He said.

Katyusha grinned. "Leave it to me!" She exclaimed.

Nodding, Klara's father looked at Nonna. " _I would like to thank you as well, for being there for her when I am too busy working,_ " He said slowly.

Nonna bowed. " _Klara has always been a good friend of mine. I will always be there for her,_ "

Klara's father smiled. " _Good, because I don't think I will be able to anymore,_ " He said ominously. He kissed Klara on the cheek. " _I have to go now. I love you dear._ " He turned around to climb back into the helicopter, but Klara latched on tightly. "

 _Please, don't go!_ " Klara begged, tears falling down her face.

Klara's father stopped. " _I'm sorry,_ " His voice cracked. " _I'm sorry for everything I've done. I truly am._ " He muttered.

He climbed up the stairs and was about to enter the helicopter when Klara shouted again. " _Tell mother and the others I love them and miss them!_ " She cried.

Klara's father turned to look Klara one more time, tears staining his bearded face as well. " _Don't worry, I will. And they love you too!_ " He shouted back.

He waved from the window as the Mi-26 ascended back up into the sky, devoured by the gray clouds. Klara watched the dark sky for a while, before turning to Katyusha and Nonna. She stumbled down to Katyusha and embraced her in a tight hug. Katyusha lightly patted her back as she began bawling, while Nonna looked on, a sad expression on her face.

 **Ooarai Girls High School Carrier**

Miho was walking towards the tank garage when she thought she heard something coming from inside. Deciding to investigate, she crept along the edge of the doors and eavesdropped on whatever was in there. What she heard surprised her.

"So, where do you think they store the pasta?"

"Duce, we're the only ones that even eat pasta."

"Surely they'll at least have tomato sauce!"

"I don't think there's a point in doing this."

"Shut up, Mika, you came here to 'borrow' their Stug III!"

"The wind was blowing us together in the same direction."

"Mika, everyone knows what you want to do. Just give up already."

"Are we even going to charge anything?"

"Umm..excuse me." Miho interrupted. Anchovy, Pepperoni, Carpaccio, Mika, Aki, Mikko, Nishi and the rest of the Chi-ha-tan group jumped back in surprise.

"Ni-Ni-Nishizumi? What are you doing here?" Anchovy stuttered in a confused tone.

Miho cocked her head to the left in confusion. "What do you mean? This is my school," She stated.

Anchovy clicked her tongue. "Oh, yeah. That's right. Uh, we were filming a documentary called 'Duce's World Tour!' It's about me tasting different foods from different schools!" She exclaimed.

Miho groaned. "Fine. You can eat some of our food," She said in group cheered.

…...

Yukari was running around the JSDF base, squealing whenever she saw a tank. She would whip out her phone and snap pictures of it. "Ooooh, Nishizumi-dono would love this." She mumbled to herself.

As she was walking around she accidentally bumped into a soldier. She fell to the ground, and the man stumbled back.

Yukari jumped back up. "Watch where you're going!" She shouted at the man.

The man stared at Yukari incredulously. "Young woman, watch where you are going!" He shouted back. He looked over her. "Hey, you're not even part of our garrison! You're a highschool student!" He exclaimed. "You are trespassing on private property! Come with me!" He grabbed Yukari by the shoulders and dragged her off through the base.

Yukari was placed in a large room, with the soldier sitting at the opposite side of the table. "So, He asked in a low tone. "What were you doing?"

Yukari began to sweat. "I was just taking pictures of tanks sir," She quickly answered.

The soldier furrowed his eyebrows. "Pictures of tanks?" He asked, not believing her.

Yukari nodded her head. "Yes, sir," She replied.

The soldier grunted. "Hand the pictures over," He ordered.

Yukari shakily took out her phone and handed it over to the soldier, who swiped through the pictures.

After looking through the phone, he looked back up at Yukari. "Taking pictures of military equipment is a breach of security," He informed her. "Especially in times in war. You could be a spy for the Chinese for all I know!" He shouted.

Yukari recoiled in her seat. "I meant no harm! It is just a hobby!" She cried.

The soldier slammed his fist against the table. "You could be court martialed for this! This is your own fault!"

"Who could be court martialed for what?" A voice asked from behind Yukari.

The soldier stood up and saluted. "Sir, this girl was caught skulking around and taking pictures of tanks," He told the older man, who walked up to Yukari.

The man looked down at Yukari, who was on the verge of tears. "What is your name?" He asked.

"A-Akiyama Yukari," Yukari sniffled.

The man stared at Yukari, before laughing out loud. Both the soldier and Yukari stared in surprise.

"What is so funny, General?" The soldier demanded.

"I'm sorry, but this girl means no harm," The general told him. He put his hand on Yukari's shoulder. "You must be Jungoro's daughter! He has told me all about you! You are everything to him!" He roared, "So, you were taking pictures of tanks. I know you love tanks!" He said.

Yukari blushed. "I am embarrassed to admit it…" She mumbled.

"General? This is-" The soldier stumbled for words, but the man raised his hand.

"From now on you are free to enter the compounds at any time!" The general exclaimed, hitting Yukari on the back, almost shoving Yukari's forehead into the table.

Yukari gave a small laugh and got up, saluting the general. "Thank you General-"

"Just call me Hijikata!" He said.

Yukari's eyes widened. "Hijikata? You mean Hijikata Takayuki, the acting commanding director of Ooarai?" Her mouth gaped.

Hijikata nodded. "Welcome to the club, Akiyama!"

…..

At the school cafeteria, there was a party consisting of the uninvited guests and the Ooarai Senshadou teams. Carpaccio and Cesar rejoiced together, drank some Anzio(non-alcoholic)wine, and indulged in the anglerfish Ooarai is so famous for.

Miho was enjoying the party with her friends when she got a text. It was from Chouno Ami, a JSDF Senshadou instructor that used to be under the wing of Miho's mother.

 _Hey, I think you would want to know about this!_ Ami texted.

Miho quickly texted back. _About what?_ She texted back. It took about a minute for an answer to come back.

Ami: _Apparently there were North Korean ships going down the Yellow Sea. There were transport ship, cruisers and destroyers, and maybe even a aircraft carrier. They're definitely planning something._

Miho: _Maybe they're going to Malaysia? They are allies with the Chinese._

Ami: _I don't know, maybe. The Chinese are doing well down there by themselves. They are pushing the Allied forces back._

Miho: _Maybe they're planning to attack us._

Ami: _Us? Where could they be headed? Even if we are close together, I don't think they have the power to support an invasion of Japan._

Miho: _Well, they could attack Okinawa, Amami Oshima, Tokunoshima, and other islands that could be used for a supply base. The North Koreans could just be filling in for China for all we know._

Ami: _Hm, that might not be a bad idea. You know what, that actually reminds me of a message from Katyusha._

Miho: _A message from Katyusha-san? What was it?_

Ami: _Yeah, it's really serious. It said that China was going to invade another country in around a year._

Miho: _Where would she get such information? That's really crazy._

Ami: _She said it was from an anonymous, but highly trustworthy source. I have a feeling who it is though._

Miho: _That means North Korea wouldn't invade Japan, that's for sure._

Ami: _You could say we're pretty safe for now. Oh, I have to go to a meeting now, text you later!_

Miho put the phone away, too tired to eat.

 **St. Gloriana Girls High School Carrier**

A girl hair with blonde hair slowly sipped her tea, and cringed. It was not the usual tea, as the materials were rationed. She sighed. _This would not do,_ she thought.

There was a rapid knock at the door. "Darjeeling-sama?" An orange haired girl peeked in.

"Orange-Pekoe! Is there something for me?" Darjeeling clasped her hands together.

A blonde walked up behind Orange-Pekoe. "It's a letter from an Eclair? Or an Asparagus, I forgot which one," She passed the letter onto Darjeeling.

"Thank you, Assam," Darjeeling said, taking the letter. She opened up the letter and read it: " _Salut, the food you have sent me have increased my stomach cramps. Sacre Bleu, please learn how to cook. But your tea is the best I have had the joy to drink. Please send more, it helps with the stomach pains._ " She crumpled the letter up and threw it into a trashcan. "Assam, send three tons of tea to BC Freedom...Or Maginot? I don't know. Send three tons to both schools." She said.

Assam smiled. "Yes, Darjeeling-sama,"

 **A transport ship, in the Yellow Sea**

There were dozens, maybe even hundreds of ships steaming in a large convoy through the calm sea. Helicopters of all varieties filled the sky. Soldiers bustled around the transport ships, checking their equipment, taking naps, and getting ready for a fight. They were part of the 30,000 troops that formed the first wave of an invasion that would cripple the island nation of Japan.

A single girl looked out into the ocean, staring blankly. Her long black hair flowed along with the wind, and the salty air slightly stung her scar.

"Madam. Madam," A soldier was trying to get her attention. The girl blinked twice, before looking at the soldier. The soldier saluted. "Are you excited for the upcoming battle?" He asked.

The girl smiled, a malicious grin forming on her face. "Oh, I'm excited alright. I'm all excited to give those Japanese a lesson they deserve," She laughed maniacally, to the amusement of the soldier.


	3. Slide to War

**Chapter three: Slide to War**

 **Unspecified location in Tokyo**

Chouno Ami walked down the dark hallway, the lights flickering constantly. She climbed two flights of stairs and stopped by a door. She knocked twice, the sound resonating throughout the entire hallway. She smiled in amusement as several banging noises came from the opposite end of the door.

The door opened, and a man peered through. He had a scraggly beard and hair, and he looked like he hadn't gone outside in a month. "Oh, it's Chouno-kun," He muttered groggily.

Ami saluted. "Good morning, General Sakurai!"

Sakurai stared at her. "It's, uh.. six in the morning. What do you want?" He stuttered.

Ami pushed her way into the room, which was littered with empty bottles and inappropriate magazines. "You need to get a wife," She mumbled.

"This is not how you treat a superior!" Sakurai shouted.

Ami picked up a bottle. "That doesn't mean you're not a slob," she retorted. She looked around a corner. "You have a private bar?" She quickly ran over to the bar.

"Hey, don't touch anything." Sakurai yelled.

Ami peeked over the corner. "Oh, yeah. Just saying, more people will be coming over," She said, before going back to the bar.

"What?" Sakurai's jaw dropped as several more people crowded their way through the doorway. "Is that General Ayazaki, Colonel Kuroyama, and Admiral Hata?" He gaped. He turned around, and fell down. He slowly looked up at the person who he bumped into. He locked eyes with the cold gaze of the woman towering over him. "Nishizumi...Shiho?" He crawled back. "Ami, what is going on here?" He ran over to his private bar, where he was met with a drunk Chouno Ami, who had emptied the entirety of his alcohol cabinet.

 **Two hours later, in a conference room**

Sakurai now looked more like a human; he had showered, shaved, and donned a military uniform. He sat down by the end of the table. Ami sat down next to him. "Perfect! You look normal for once!" She exclaimed.

Sakurai glared at her. "Says the one who drank my entire collection and is still sober," He nearly spat.

Ami laughed. "Nope. Still hammered," She heartily replied.

Nishizumi Shiho sat down next to Ami. "Congratulations on your promotion, _colonel_ ," She said.

"Thank you, Instructor!" Ami laughed.

"Everyone get to your seats, we are starting the meeting." General Ayazaki bellowed.

"No breakfast?" Sakurai grumbled.

"First order of business, on the recent proposition brought by Colonel Chouno Ami on the bill to place the National Japanese Senshadou Federation under the control of the JFSD," Ayazaki stated.

Ami shot up. "I believe it is immoral to train Young women to become soldiers to potentially send them to combat,"

"Please," Colonel Kuroyama said, "Senshadou practically turned them into soldiers already. Putting them in tanks and have them shooting each other? That is war, is it not?"

Ami slammed her fist on the table. "It is a sport, and we have placed many safety measures to ensure nothing fatal would happen," She exclaimed.

"I believe we should make a requirement for Senshadou schools to supply a minimum amount of infantry, depending on the size of the school, for use by the JSDF," One general piped up.

Ami glared at him. "Are you suggesting we militarize the entirety of Japan's educational system?" She demanded. "Did you forget what happened in the early 20th century, during the reign of the Empire? Children were indoctrinated to embrace the militaristic attitudes of the era, and look where it led them!"

The man balked. "No, just for the time being as we need as many soldiers as we can, as well as manpower for our industry and agriculture!" He quivered.

"Well then, why not have the girls go work in the agricultural sectors instead?" Ami demanded.

"Well, I believe that infantry training would add to the Senshadou experience as well. Antitank and antipersonnel tactics can be learned," The Colonel retorted.

"Are you saying we should risk the lives of young-" Ami started to shout but was interrupted when a soldier barged in.

"Excuse me for the intrusion!" saluted swiftly.

Sakurai saluted back. "Hm, what's wrong?" he asked.

The soldier fumbled with his reports. "Reports say nearly three dozen North Korean Troopships were sighted off the coast of Okinawa!" He shouted.

 **Naha, Okinawa**

2,000 JSDF soldiers assembled, ready to repel the incoming North Korean landing ships.

For Major Kanagawa Taizou and his 14th company, who were stationed in front of Naha airport, watching the large ships slowly moving forward was unnerving. Nobody was talking, just staring up ahead.

"Want a smoke?" A private asked.

Taizou shook his head. "No thanks,"

"You'll need the energy to fight the enemy." The private insisted.

Taizou sighed. "Fine," He smiled and took the rations while thanking the private. "Your name?" He asked the private.

The private saluted. "Private First Class Sakata Tojiro, reporting for duty!" T

aizou swiftly saluted. "Kanagawa Taizou." He replied. He looked back at the ships. "So, were you born here like I was, or did you come from the mainland?" He asked.

" I was born in Nagoya, sir," Tojiro responded.

Taizou nodded. "Were you drafted?" He asked.

"No, sir. I joined up to protect Japan at any notice, sir."

"Same here. Oh, can you stop it with the 'sir'? It makes me feel old. Just call me Taizou," Taizou requested.

Tojiro pondered for a minute, before smiling. "Ok, Taizou-san!" He joyously exclaimed.

Taizou finally noticed the distant noise the rotors of the helicopters getting closer.

"Enemy helis!" One soldier shouted.

Taizou dove to the ground, ducking behind the sand dune, as nearly a dozen North Korean helicopters flew by, firing thousands of bullets at the entrenched soldiers. Bullets buried themselves into the sand around him, one nearly blowing his helmet off. His face became covered in sand that was thrown up by the bullet impacts. He watched the helicopters peel off and return to the sea, strafing the startled defenders one more time.

Taizou put his hand over his chest; his heart was pounding like it was on steroids. He peeked over the sand dune, to see several landing ships approaching the beach. "Troops, get ready!" He shouted through his radio.

He grabbed his Howa Type 20 Assault Rifle and made sure it was loaded. He saw the first ship reach the shoreline and anticipated the enemy attack with dread.

…...

The girl leaned against the cupola of her Pokpung-ho V "Pyuma" tank, humming very loudly. Her tank was the first of the newest generation of North Korean tanks, aided by the Chinese industry; the armour being a new secret type of composite and reactive armor, and had a main gun of 130mm.

"Captain?" The driver of the tank looked up. "Why are you humming? Isn't it nerve wracking to be up there, where the enemy could shoot you?" She asked nervously. "And could you tie up your hair and cover up that scar of yours?"

The captain looked down at her subordinate. "nervous? Ha, this is the most excited I've ever been! I can't believe I have the honor of fighting the greatest enemy of our glorious leader! The glorious leader protects me with his gracious arms, so I will not be touched by enemy bullets!" She proudly boasted. She reached out her hand. "Pass me a hair tie. I won't do anything to cover up my scar; it will be quite amusing to see the demoralization of the enemy when they see _me_."

" _Thirty seconds until landing. Everyone get ready and good luck,"_ The driver of the landing ship announced. The captain sneered, and began laughing hysterically as the doors of the ship slowly start to open.

…..

Taizou aimed his sights on the door, waiting for the perfect moment. The door slowly slide open, revealing an M1992 APC splashing into the water. "Someone take that out with the Howa 84!" He ordered. Kojiro aimed the recoilless rifle and fired once, and the round quickly found its target.

The M1992 exploded in a ball of flame, its occupants escaping their burning coffin and throwing themselves in the salt water in an attempt to put out the flames. More APCs and North Korean amphibious PT-85s tanks rolled out from behind the burning wreck, putting suppressing fire on the defenders. Infantry poured out from the APCs, scurrying like ants across the vast beach.

The 14th company fired down on the North Koreans, cutting dozens of them down in a minute. But more of them ran out from the dozens of landing ships now crawling ashore, and fired back at the 14th company. Bullets zipped by Taizou as he emptied out his magazine and was inserting a fresh one.

"Where are our mortars?" Taizou yelled.

"We lost them!" came the reply from Kojiro.

"Shit!" Taizou swore. He raised his assault rifle and squeezed the trigger four times, taking down four soldiers. His rifle jammed, and he ducked behind cover to unjam it. A grenade lands right next to Taizou. He reacted quickly, grabbing the grenade and propelling it back to the North Koreans.

Taizou looked up back to the North Koreans. He saw a tank amongst the infantry, a Pokpung-ho variant he had not seen before. But what caught his eye was not the tank itself, but the girl that was standing out of the hatch. He put his sights on her.

"Is that a high school girl?" A soldier asked.

"Goddamn, they're using children?" Taizou muttered.

"We can't shoot her?" Tojiro cried.

Taizou strained his eyes, watching the girl. He noticed the scar across the girl's eye, and something clicked in his mind. _A girl with a tank. She has a scar across her eye. High school Girls driving tanks, North Korean tanks. A girl with a scar driving a North Korean tank._ His mind raced with thoughts. _The invasion of South Korea, the battle of Busan-_ He gasped with realization. "Take that girl out! She's the "Butcher of Busan", Ryuk Mi-jing, Captain of the North Korean Tankery team!" He shouted. He fired several shots right at Mi-jing's head; all of them missed, despite her being in his crosshairs. "What the…" He gritted his teeth.

A soldier fired an anti-tank missile, and seemed to hit right on target. Taizou sighed with relief.

Then from the smoke a tracer round shot into the sand dune, blasting Taizou and other soldiers back.

Taizou flew backwards and hit his head. He placed his hands on his forehead, and felt blood. His vision was blurry and he attempted to stand up, but he stumbled back. He heard a roar, and realized it was the warcry of the North Koreans, who charged with enthusiasm against the crumbling defense.

A North Korean soldier jumped over the sand dune and aimed his rifle at Taizou. Taizou rolled to the side quickly as the North Korean fired an entire magazine of his assault rifle.

Taizou grabbed a rifle from a dead comrade and shot the North Korean down. He stood up and quickly realized the situation. The defense was quickly disintegrating, with many of his friends lying a pool of their own blood. He looked over and saw Tojiro's lower body, intestines and organs spilling out.

Taizou coughed several times, and spat out blood. He tried to stumble forward, but was met with a North Korean tank. His eyes quivered with fear as he saw the girl sneer as she aimed the co-axial machine gun at him, and fired. Several bullets pierced Taizou's legs, body and arms. His vision went red, and he saw the treads of the tank bearing over him and the girl laughing her head off. "Is she a demon..?" he mumbled before being crushed by the treads.

 **JSDF Headquarters, Ichigaya, Tokyo**

General Ayazaki, Colonel Chouno Ami, Colonel Kuroyama, General Sakurai, Nishizumi Shiho and the others sat in disbelief as they heard the reports of the North Korean advance throughout Okinawa.

"Shit," Sakurai mumbled.

"How many troops are in Okinawa?" Chouno demanded.

The soldier who reported it stood up. "Around 18,000 soldiers are stationed in Okinawa at this time, but they will need reinforcements soon, or they will be overwhelmed,"

"Where are the nearest JSDF forces?" Kuroyama asked.

The soldier glanced at Shiho before answering: "The Kuromorimine Girls High School JSDF Carrier, sir," He reluctantly replied, and a cold feeling washed over Shiho.

"Good. Send them to Okinawa." Kuroyama ordered.

"Wait!" Shiho shouted, standing up.

"What is it, Shiho-san? Is something wrong?" Kuroyama eyed her.

"Are you really going to send young girls to fight? For them to die?" Shiho glared at Kuroyama.

"We were deliberately attacked by a hostile nation. I am willing to use any asset available for a victory," He answered slowly.

"Victory? Is that the only thing you care about?" Shiho yelled.

Kuroyama slammed his fist on the table. "You always annoyed me, Nishizumi. Especially your style. You lecture me on about sacrificing for victory? What about the 62nd National High School Senshadou tournament? Were you not willing to sacrifice a tank and its crew for a ten year victory streak? Were you not going to disown your daughter for saving the crew? You are so hypocritical you disgust me. Doesn't your own Senshadou style commands complete obedience, rigid discipline and victory above all?" He spat out. He sneered at Shiho, who was pale as a ghost before continuing. "If you are willing to sacrifice a few girls for a tournament, you should also be willing to sacrifice a school for the fate of our nation."

He stood up and walked to the door. He turned around and looked at Shiho once again. "If you think I enjoy this, you are wrong. We both agree on the fact that sending young girls is wrong. But imagine this: How long do you think your daughters will survive under the control of the North Koreans? Better to fight and die, than live being slaves," He left the room quickly after that.

 **Ooarai Girls High School Carrier**

Miho woke up late and had to hurry to make it to school. She ran all the way, only stopping when she saw Saori drag Mako across the sidewalk. She turned around when she noticed Miho behind her. "Help me drag this thing to school.." She groaned. Miho laughed, and picked up Mako.

Thanks to Mako, they were nearly fifteen minutes late to school. At the gate was the president of the Public Morals Committee, Sono Midoriko.

"Reizei-san, are you making other students late besides yourself? You should be ashamed of yourself!" Midoriko shouted. She turned to Saori and Miho. "I'll let you two go this time, just leave Reizei be next time." She ordered.

"Sodoko," Mako groaned.

"Don't call me that!" Sodoko snapped. She continued to yell at Mako while Saori and Miho walked into the school.

Miho and Saori are in their classroom, talking with Yukari and Hana when Mako entered the room. "Whew, I got an earful this time. What is she, an old grandma?" Mako grumbled.

"You should wake up earlier," Saori told her.

"I'm not going to die early, unlike your 'boyfriend'," Mako retorted. Hana and Yukari had to hold Saori back as she tried to grab Mako.

"Guderian-dono!" Came a voice. Yukari let go of Saori, who fell onto the floor.

"Ah, Erwin-dono!" Yukari saluted.

A blonde girl wearing a Afrika Corps jacket and a field marshal's hat stood in front of her. "Morning, Nishizumi-dono," She tipped her hat.

"Good morning, Erwin-san." Miho said.

"Heard what's going down with North Korea? Things are getting crazy!" Erwin exclaimed.

"Yeah, I have a feeling it's going to be a rerun of Pearl Harbor," A girl with glasses stepped out from behind Erwin.

"Oryou-san!" Miho said.

"Where is Saemonza and Caesar-dono?" Yukari asked.

Erwin shrugged. "Caesar is chatting with Carpaccio and I don't know what Saemonza is doing," She sat down in a chair. "Guderian-dono, I've seen you around the JFSD base. Do you visit there often?"

"Yes! I've visited so often the soldiers gave me a nickname: Private Fluff!" Yukari answered.

"Fluff?" Saori asked incredulously.

"On account of my hair," Yukari replied. "It seems they have taken a liking to me."

"You are eccentric…" Saori started but was interrupted by the intercom: " _All students must report to the gym immediately. I repeat, all students must report to the gym immediately."_

"Hm, I wonder what the student council have in store for us." Erwin chuckled.

The students sat on the gym floor, unsure of what's happening.

"Maybe they're going to resurrect the volleyball team." The captain of the defunct volleyball club Isobe Noriko told her fellow Volleyballer Shinobu Kawanishi, who shook her head disappointingly.

Hana looked on excitedly. "Maybe they are going to hold an all you can eat buffet." She told Saori.

"Everyone quiet!" A bellowing voice echoed throughout the gym. Everyone looked forward to see Kawashima Momo, the Student council PR manager standing menacingly.

"President," She turned the microphone to Kadotani Anzu, the president of the student council.

"Thanks, Kawashima," Anzu took the microphone before turned to the crowd before her. "Now, everyone, I need you to pay attention really closely." Her previous cheery attitude turned serious. "This message is broadcasted live, and we were ordered to watch it from the prime minister of Japan himself."

She pointed to vice president Koyama Yuzu. "Hit it!" She yelled.

The gym lights dimmed, and a screen descended from the ceiling.

"I wonder what's going on," Erwin whistled.

Miho looked down at her lap. _This isn't good,_ she thought to herself.

A countdown appeared on the screen "5...4...3...2...1…" The screen changed to a news station. "Good morning, and welcome to NHK News," A male anchor said. "For the past week, North Korean ships have been scurrying by Japanese waters, sending jet fighters and helicopters over the border to test our mettle. And finally, today at around eight O'clock approximately three dozen North Korean transport ships have landed thousands of troops in Naha and Nago. The JSDF have reinforced the Okinawa garrison upto 18,000 soldiers, but the defense is slowly getting pushed back. We now go live to Naha, with Higashino Kazuyo, reporting on the scene."

The camera turned to a woman with glasses outside a few buildings. "Hello, Higashino Kazuyo here, reporting live from Naha. You can all here the gunfire and explosions can be heard from across the city. Around 7,000 North Koreans have landed so far, severely pushing back our soldiers. We have suffered severe casualties, including 370 killed. We are-" There was an explosion near her, causing her to scream and duck.

A JSDF soldier ran up to her. "Ma'am, you need to evacuate now!" He ordered. The female anchor looked at him. "But we need to inform the population-"

"Ma'am, we are responsible for your safety!" The soldier screamed as t camera suddenly went back to the news anchor, who wiped some sweat off his forehead.

"Well, as of right now reinforcements are being sent to Okinawa as we speak, including the Kuromorimine Girls High School JSDF carrier. With that, China has issued a declaration of solidarity with North Korea on the decision to invade Okinawa, and Japan has formally joined the Allied Powers of Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines and Indonesia. Japan is now officially at war with North Korea and China. Thank you for your time, please remain calm and have a nice day." The man screen then went completely blank.

The crowd went wild with confusion and panic.

"Holy crap! We're next!" A first-year screamed.

"I don't wanna die!" Another girl wailed.

"Calm down! Calm down!" Momo yelled through the microphone, but her voice quivered with nervousness herself. Even the Student Council had not expected such a message.

"Miporin! He said Kuromorimine, didn't he? That's where your sister is!" Saori grabbed Miho's shoulder.

Miho quickly got out her phone and dialed her sister's number in a panic; her panic subsided somewhat when Maho answered. "Oneesan!" She yelled.

" _So, you've heard about it, huh,"_ Maho said from the other line.

"You're going to Okinawa?" Miho asked, hoping for the impossible.

" _Yeah, we're already heading towards there,"_ Maho answered.

"Did, did mom call you?"

" _She called me a few minutes ago. She said she was sorry for failing to stop this from happening, but I know she tried her best. I'm not worried about what happens to myself; If I go to the frontlines if you don't have to, I will in a heartbeat,"_

"But you could die,"

" _I know, and I don't like that. But I'm not afraid, and I will do what I am supposed to do,"_

"Please, don't say that,"

" _It's okay. I won't die, I promise you. I promise we will see eachother again. You, Mother and I will be one family again after all of this is over. Got it?"_

Miho nodded, tears overflowing from her eyes. "Yeah, a promise,"

"Okay. So, see you later." Maho hung up and put her phone away. She felt bad for lying to Miho; she was scared out of her mind on the prospect of dying, but she has to act brave in front of Miho. Good thing she couldn't see the Maho crying.

Erika walked over and put her hand on her shoulder. "Are you done, commander?" She asked.

Maho wiped her eyes and looked back. "Yeah, I'm done," Both of them walked towards the armory, to get ready for the inevitable battle.


	4. Calm Before the Storm

**Chapter four: Calm before the Storm**

 **Ooarai Girls High School Carrier**

Kadotani Anzu was eating her daily ration of sweet dried potato, which was specially adjusted for her, when she got a call down to the Commander's office. "Kawashima, Koyama, finish up work will ya?" She called out as she left the student council room.

"Yes, president." Both girls answered enthusiastically.

Anzu strutted down to the office, and knocked twice.

"Come in," A man's voice drifted through the door.

Anzu entered and saluted. " Is there something you need, sir?" She asked.

The man at the desk laughed. "No need for such formalities, ms. president," He said.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Hijikata-dono." Anzu quickly corrected herself.

General Hijikata Takayuki, the JSDF commander of the Ooarai Girls High School Carrier, got out a glass and a bottle of wine. "Don't worry about it," He said again, "But I don't know about him…" He glanced at the man next to him. He had glasses and parted hair, and turned away when Anzu looked at him.

"You! You tried to close down our school twice!" Anzu pointed at the man.

Hijikata chuckled. "Oh, you met Tsuji-kun. I guess you were the bearer of bad news, so you can tell her this time as well," He nudged Tsuji.

Tsuji adjusted his glasses. "This is different…" He tried to object, but was interrupted by Anzu.

"Are you going to close down Ooarai?" She nearly yelled.

Tsuji flinched. "The Ooarai Senshadou team is one of the best in Japan, so that's not possible. The prime minister has ordered the creation of at least a Battalion's worth of infantry for each school carrier," He quickly dished out.

"What!" Anzu dropped her bag of sweet dried potatoes in surprise. "As in, to use in combat?" She asked in disbelief. Tsuji nodded.

Anzu pounced on Hijikata. "You can't be serious. Sending Girls into ground combat?"

Hijikata poured a drink of wine and drank it. "You are correct. I am against it, but if you have any complaints you will have to go to the prime minister himself,"

Anzu picked up the bag and started munching on the sweet dried potato in anger.

Hijikata sighed. "Don't get mad at me, I'm just following orders. I hope you understand of what is happening right now," He passed a stack of papers to Anzu. "These are registration forms for the Ooarai Infantry battalion. If there aren't enough volunteers you'll have to conscript students to meet the quota."

Anzu trudged towards the door, weighed down by the papers.

"Oh, you need up to 300, so choose only the best," Hijikata's voice floated by as Anzu slammed the door angrily with her foot.

 **Kuromorimine Girls High School Carrier**

Maho stood by her Panzer X "Angriffstiger" in awe. She knew this was an upgraded version of her Tiger I, with the newest Advanced Modular Armor Protection(AMAP) and Rheinmetall 130 mm L/51 chrome lined-smoothbore barrel, but wondered if this would be effective in combat.

A JSDF mechanic walked up to her. "Don't worry," He patted Maho on the back, "These are based off the most recent German tank designs, being used in Eastern Europe as we speak." He reassured her.

Maho looked at him. "How about the Panzer XII 'Igel' and Jagdpanzer 'Hornisse' as well as the others?" She asked about the other upgraded tanks-the "Igel" being the Tiger II and Jagdpanzer "Hornisse" being the Jagdpanzer IV.

The mechanic chuckled. "Don't worry. They're in perfect shape to go out fighting in the real world," He turned around and walked away. "The tanks will protect you, so stop worrying too much. Oh, you were called down to the colonel's office"

Maho walked over to Erika, who was checking the supplies. "How is everything?" She asked, forcing Erika to jump up.

"Oh, commander. We have full stock of APFSDS ammunition, AMP rounds, HESH Rounds, and ammunition for the coaxial weapons," Erika reported. "We also have medical supplies for any injuries, fatal or nonfatal. And we have enough side arms for all tank crews." She looked down. "You've heard about the infantry decree, haven't you, commander?"

Maho sighed. "Yes, I was authorised by the colonel to create an infantry regiment for use along with the Senshadou team," She sat down on a crate of shells, "I get to name them though, if that's something."

"Have you thought up of a name?" Erika sat down next to Maho.

"No, not yet. It's pretty hard." Maho replied.

"How about the Landsknecht?" Erika offered.

Maho thought for a minute. "Nope."

"Shutzstaffel?"

"Kuromorimine SS? Might be interpreted the wrong way."

"Werewolves?"

"We're not partisans."

"Freikorps?" Erika said. Maho smiled. "Kuromorimine Freikorps? I think that just might work."

 **Anzio Girls High School Carrier**

Anchovy sat by her desk, listening to a record of "Giovinezza", eating pizza and reading spaghetti recipes, when there was a knock at the door. "Come in," She yawned.

A girl with long dark hair, wearing a blue uniform entered.

"Oh, it's Asparagus," Anchovy looked at the girl who entered.

"Actually, it's Eclair," The girls said.

Anchovy waved her hand. "Whatever. So, what do you want? Oh, grab a chair, will ya?"

Eclair took out a chair and sat down. "Thanks, this will help with my stomach pains," She felt her stomach.

Anzio raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah, I forgot you had those. Take some gelato home with you, then. It'll help,"

Eclair shook her head. "Gelato makes it worse, just like Darjeeling's eel jelly,"

Anzio groaned. "Why did you eat Darjeeling's stuff? Are you asking to die or something?" She got out some Anzio (non-alcoholic) wine. "Is that why you came here?" She offered some to Eclair.

"Is it wrong to talk to a friend in a tumultuous time?" Eclair accepted and took a glass.

Anzio took a drink. "You're forced to join the military too?"

Eclair shook her head again. "I was exempt from the draft because of my stomach pains. But I was forced to quit the Senshadou teams and Fondue took over as captain." She sighed. "Senshadou has become another tool to force people to join the military."

"Then you got the infantry decree? What did you name them-oh wait, let me guess. Old Guard, isn't it?" Anchovy guesses.

Eclair nodded. "Yup. What about you, did you name them after the blackshirts?"

Anchovy laughed. "No no no, I named them after the Arditi." Anchovy finished her glass and was filling it once more. She looked out the window. "What times are these." She muttered.

"Neesan!" Pepperoni crashed through the door. "We, we found some pasta!" She sputtered out.

Anchovy jumped out of her seat. "Really?" She shouted. She glanced at Eclair, and grabbed her arm. "Come with me!" She followed Pepperoni, dragging Eclair with her.

"My stomach…" Eclair groaned.

 **Ooarai Girls High School Carrier**

Miho stared at the TV in shock, following the events in Okinawa: "Currently North Korean forces have pushed the JSDF away from Naha, and are currently advancing towards Nanjo. They have also taken Motobu and Nakijin. The JSDF has fortified themselves in Uruma and Kunigami, and are currently wait for reinforcements from the Kuromorimine Carrier."

Saori patted her on the back. "Don't worry. Maho will be fine," She assured Miho.

Miho looked up. "But.." She started but was interrupted by Yukari.

"Your sister is the commander of the Kuromorimine Senshadou team! She will do a fine job under fire!" Yukari confidently told Miho.

"Are you sure?" Miho said.

"Your sister is calm and collective, and is always decisive when making a decision," Hana chipped in.

"And if she does die, you'll get a strange feeling in your head because she's your sister, so that's a plus," Mako rose up from a pile of blankets, to which Saori karate chopped her in the head.

Miho stood up. "Yeah, your right. Why was I worrying. Thanks," She smiled brightly.

They heard a loud groan from the hallway outside. They looked outside, and saw Kawashima Momo and Koyama Yuzu carrying heavy stacks of paper.

"Momo-chan, don't give up," Yuzu said, the weight of the papers dragging her down.

"Don't….call...me….Momo-Chan!" Momo gritted through her teeth, and she almost toppled over.

"Student council? What are you doing?" Saori asked. Momo looked over, her face slightly red. "Could..you...help?" She ordered.

They distributed the papers between the student council and the Anglerfish Team.

"Thanks a lot." Yuzu panted.

"What are these papers?" Miho asked.

"Take a look for yourself," Momo growled.

Miho looked at the paper on the top of the stack. It looked like a recruitment poster, with a picture of a girl in a military uniform, and patch with the Ooarai High School's emblem sewn onto the shoulder. She looked at the text: "Join the Ooarai Special Infantry Corps! Defending your country is defending your school! (Students that will join the OSIC will receive over 1,000 credits, all lates and detentions will be rescinded. Senshadou members need not apply.)"

"Is this a recruitment poster?" Miho enquired.

Momo groaned in frustration. "Yes! We have no choice in this matter, so don't go complaining to me," She shouted.

Miho cowered. "Sorry," She apologized.

Yuzu chuckled. "Don't worry about it. She's just stressed, just like all of us," She looked at Miho. "We're all in this together, so we need to stick up for each other. So don't sulk now, we need you now more than ever." She stated.

Miho beamed. "You're right," She skipped down the hallway, and almost fell forwards.

 **Yonabaru, Okinawa**

By 5:P.M. the town was was in ruins, by the fighting and by the victorious North Koreans who razed the half the city to the ground. The North Koreans gathered up 4,000 civilians and placed them in temporary camps.

Ryuk Mi-jing was sitting in an abandoned house, indulging in some Soki. "Mm, this stuff is good!" She exclaimed in happiness. "Maeng, want some?" She asked her driver, who was standing behind her. The driver shook her head politely.

Mi-jing went back to her dish. "Those Japanese are barbaric, but their food sure is good!" She yelled.

" ?" A voice rang out from behind her.

Mi-jing quickly whirled around and saluted. "General Ryang! Good to see you, sir!" She shouted.

The man before her saluted back. "Nice work out there, taking out an entire company in just an hour. It's to you that we were able to take Yonabaru in just over an hour. It's unbelievable that you're just a schoolgirl," He commended.

Mi-jing nodded. "Thank you. I am just doing my duty for the glorious leader, and am willing to sacrifice my education, time, body and life for the ultimate victory," She shouted.

"Good, I hope you will continue to serve our glorious leader successfully. In a few hours you're going to be redeployed to Uruma to lead the attack," General Ryang announced.

"Nuruma, sir?" Mi-jing asked.

"Yes, there are over 5,000 enemy troops garrisoned there. We need to break through to meet up with the Northern Force."

"Any reinforcements, sir?"

"The harbor is getting fixed up as we speak. We'll be getting over 28,000 troops by June 8th."

"That's good, this is our real fight ever since unification."

"And unlike unification, we will no doubt take few casualties and deal deal a heavy to the enemy!"

Mi-jing thought of something. "Sir, if I may ask, are there others like me?"

"And what do you mean?"

"Well, Senshadou-" Ryang glared at her. "Er-Special Tank Corps like me. You know, there's lady Wu from China, I am sure there are others like her and I."

Ryang raised his head in realization. "I'm sorry, I forgot to mention this all together until you mentioned it. It seems the Japanese are sending their own Special Tank Corps ace, Nishizumi Maho from the Kuromorimine Girls High School," He said apologetically.

Mi-jing yawned. "I hope she'll be more of a fight than my counterpart from the South. She was just a whiny little brat. Now that I realize it, where did she go? I'm positive I made sure she was put in solitary confinement," She shrugged. "Oh well, I guess."

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but this Nishizumi never seemed to have been in actual combat. She'll be an easy egg to crack," Ryang informed her.

Mi-jing groaned in frustration. "That's boring," She complained.

Ryang patted her head. "Don't worry. After we defeat Japan you'll be redeployed to Nepal, and you and lady Wu will play a big role in the biggest offensive in history," He told her.

Mi-jing beamed in glee. "Okay!" She shouted.

Ryang turned around. "Now get some rest," He left the room.

Mi-jing looked at her driver. "You heard him, Maeng, get some rest." She ordered, and Maeng rolled her eyes.

 **Saunders Girls High School**

Key, Alisa, Naomi and Seo-yeon were at a cafe, eating ice cream.

"Hey, you doing okay?" Key asked Seo-yeon.

Seo-yeon nodded. "I think I'm doing a bit better,"

Key laughed. "Great to hear! You're doing better than Alisa here," She poked Alisa in the head, who sighed in annoyance.

"Can you stop it already?" Alisa moaned.

Naomi leaned in close to Alisa's ear: "I can replace Takashi whenever you want," She whispered.

Alisa scooted away from her, face bright red. "What is wrong with you?" She shouted.

"Naomi can't chew her bubblegum anymore, so she needs a replacement. I think both of you will have a positive experience from this." Key winked as Naomi picked Alisa up and dragged her away to the rear of the cafe.

"Those two are perfect for eachother." Key said through tears of laughter, much to the confusion of Seo-yeon. Key wiped her tears away, and watched dozens of girls, all in uniform, running along the streets in column, rifles slung over their backs.

"Strange seeing young girls training for war," She said to herself, her head resting on her arms.

"You got that right," Seo-yeon whispered to herself. "What did you name them?" She queried.

Key perked up. "Hm? Them? I named them after the minutemen. Well, they're the minute _women_ to be exact. I don't like it, but you gotta do what you gotta do," She explained.

Seo-yeon leaned back in her chair. "My country didn't have the time to enact such measures to stave off defeat," She breathed out. "This is becoming a rerun of World War II." She said, and Key and looked at her. "The entire nation is being transformed into a military machine. Children and students-" She looked at the marching girls outside, "being trained in war and brainwashed to believe it's a good thing." She stopped and scooped up a spoonful of ice cream. "I've seen it personally. All my friends, family dead and gone. The entire country was burned down, nothing could have been left alive. To defeat a country would be to destroy the people."

"What does that mean?" Key asked nervously. Seo-yeon looked at her. "This isn't just a regular war. Not even Total War. No, what is happening is a war of _extermination."_

 **Kuromorimine Girls High School Carrier**

Maho yawned, looking out at the sea.

"Ready for the fight, commander?" Erika placed her arm around Maho's shoulder.

Maho nodded. "We'll be in Okinawa by seven O'clock. We'll most likely be sent to the front lines tomorrow," She breathed in deeply. "It will be tough, I know it will. But if this will bring peace to Japan, and to the world, I am perfectly happy to join in the fray. I'll do whatever it takes to protect my friends and Miho." She turned and stared at Erika. "You're with me, right?" She smiled lightly.

"Yes, commander!" Erika shouted. She hugged Maho tightly. 'We'll survive this together, promise?"

Maho hugged her back. "Do we really need to promise such a thing? I thought it was normal for us to live, but if you insist, I promise. I promise we will all live through this ordeal,"

* * *

 **Panzer X (Original Vehicle): A Tiger I upgraded to modern standards in 2022**

" **Angriffstiger"- "Attack Tiger"**

 **Advanced Modular Armor Protection(AMAP): Modular composite armor developed by the German company IBD Deisenroth Engineering. It is a 4th generation composite armor, using nano-ceramics and steel alloy**

 **Panzer XII (Original Vehicle): An upgraded version of Tiger II**

' **Igel'- "Porcupine"**

 **Jagdpanzer VII (Original Vehicle) : The most recent tank destroyer designs developed in 2020**

' **Hornet'- "Hornisse "**

 **APFSDS-Armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot: Type of kinetic energy penetrator ammunition.**

 **AMP: Advanced Multi-Purpose rounds.**

 **HESH: High-Explosive Squash Head: A type of explosive ammunition against tank armor. A thin metal shell filled with plastic explosives and a delayed action base fuze.**

 **Landsknecht: A German mercenary group that operated in Europe and between the 15th-16th centuries. They used pikes and supporting infantry, and fared well against the Spanish Tercios and the feared Swiss Pikemen.**

 **Schutzstaffel: Originally the personal guards of Adolf Hitler, they quickly became a major paramilitary organization, getting rid of the SA and competed with the Wehrmacht. They were known to be the elite, brutal Nazi army of Germany. They became synonymous with the Holocaust.**

 **Werewolf: From the book "Der Wehrwolf", about a German peasant during the Thirty Year's War who gathers up an army to defend his home. Became famous in Nazi Germany, and Adolf Hitler planned to create a guerilla unit called the "Werewolves" who were to sneak into Allied lines and create havoc.**

 **Freikorps: Mercenary groups that operated from the 18th-20th centuries, serving in infantry and cavalry units. The name took up again after WWI when Germany was in a Civil War, Communist militias was taking territory, right-winged paramilitary organizations generally called the "Freikorps" fought the communists and killing people with left-wing ideals. They became the model for the SA and SS, with several important members of the SA and SS being part of the Freikorps, including Himmler and Rohm.**

" **Giovinezza"- "Youth": A popular tune in Fascist Italy, being the unofficial anthem until 1943, when it became the official anthem of the Italian Social Republic.**

 **Old Guard: The elite veteran members of Napoleon's Grande Armee. They were used in a moment of victory, or as in the battle of Waterloo, as a final, desperate trump card.**

 **Arditi: The elite stormtroopers of Italy in WWI and WWII. They used mobile tactics to destroy the static trenches. They influenced the Blackshirts, and many joined Mussolini's Fascist movement.**

 **Soki: Okinawan cuisine**

 **Special Tank Corps: The North Korean term for Senshadou, as the North Koreans detest Japan and will not use Japanese terminology.**

 **War of Extermination: A war in which the opposing forces do not question their motives, actions and consequences for war. They will try to wipe out the enemy entirely without remorse.**


	5. First Blood

**Chapter five: First Blood**

 **Unknown location**

 _Maho stood, petrified, watching the inferno before her eyes. The fire engulfed the building, lighting up the star-lit night. Firefighters tried desperately to fight the flames, but to no avail. The red and orange tendrils coiled around the firefighter's' body, and the air suction nearly pulled them into the fiery hell. They pulled back, unable to douse the blaze, which already torched the building like a large bonfire._

 _Maho felt someone grab her; it was Miho, who was much younger. She looked up at Maho with wide eyes. Maho hugged her tightly._

 _Another hand gently squeezed her shoulder. Maho looked up to see her mother, staring ahead. Though she had an emotionless face, Maho could tell the despair in her eyes. Maho looked around, and saw several tanks, even hundreds of tank parked and lined up, as well as girls and men in uniform, all gathering around the burning building._

 _Maho hadn't noticed the girl up until now. She had been close to the flames, and several men were pulling her back to safety. She attempted to wriggle out of their grasp, but they held her tightly._

" _Papa! Papa!" The girl screamed in anguish. The men dragged her away, and she reached her hand out in desperation. The she looked over to Maho. Maho's eyes widened, and time stopped. That girl was from the dream before. Her long black hair. That scar, it looked fresh. The dark red flesh streaked her face, her eye almost nonexistent. The girl covered her face and gave Maho a death glare._

 _Maho's vision blurred, and the scene changed to a beach, palm trees swaying by the wind. All of her friends were dead, lying in the sand, covered in blood. Blood was splattered across Maho's face, who was lying against a large rock._

 _Erika crawled towards her, blood pouring from her head. "Commander, please escape," She coughed up blood. "I'm sorry, I couldn't keep our promise-" She stopped, a bullet tore through her head and brain matter flew onto Maho. She tried to scream, but her vocal cords wouldn't work._

 _The woman who shot Erika stood before Maho with a smug smile. Her scar was now healed, and she aimed her pistol at Maho's head. "What a shame," she muttered as she looked at Maho's dead friends. "You will join them now." she grinned as she pulled the trigger. Maho's vision quickly turned into a bright light, then immediate darkness._

 **Kuromorimine Girls High School Carrier**

Maho shot up from her bed, sweating profusely. _Who was that girl?_ She wondered. _Have I met her before, and if I have, what does she want with me?_

"Commander, are you ready to disembark? We're in Kunigami," Erika peered through the doorway.

"I'm coming," Maho shook her head got her jacket and walked out.

Meanwhile another girl was having a dream on her own.

 **Unknown location**

 _Mi-jing desperately tried to reach her hand out towards the burning hotel, but her uncle and a couple of aides pulled her back._

" _It's too late for your father! You yourself almost died! Stop acting crazy!" The uncle roared. But she didn't care. She didn't care about the scar down her eye, searing her face and causing excruciating pain for her. No, all that mattered was her father, who was in the core of the flames. "Papa!" She screamed._

 _Her uncle started to drag her away, and she tried to kick him away. He grabbed her by the hair and she screamed. "Why? Why don't you care?" She sobbed._

 _Her uncle looked down at her. "I am sorry for his death, but you are under my care now. As your lawful caretaker, I will teach you about the greatness of our glorious leader and our nation, and all that attack us will regret their action." He said in a could tone._

" _No. I don't want that," Mi-jing muttered. She looked to her right, and by the corner of the light, saw a young girl staring at her. She had short dark brown hair and had a cold gaze. Just seeing her made Mi-jing's blood boil. She screamed one more time in anguish before she passed out._

 _She was standing over the same girl, now in her teens, with a gun up to her head. Mi-jing jeered in amusement. This girl's friends were all dead-wonderful! She pulled the trigger and the girl fell back, her head hitting the rock she was leaning on. Blood poured down her body, and stained the sand._

 **Tsutaya, Okinawa**

Mi-jing's eyes fluttered open. _Why did I have to remember something from long ago. I thought I Buried that memory away._ She groaned in frustration. _Who was that girl though? Why was she there? She couldn't have been there._ Mi-jing clasped her hands over her head. _How long has it been, ten years? Ten years since he died, ten years living with my uncle and ten years since I got this stupid scar. Ten years since-_ A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.

"Commander? Are you awake? We're going to start a meeting soon," The voice of Maeng drifted through the doorway.

Mi-jing stood up. "I'll be there in a minute," She called. She tried to brush it off as just a bad dream, but something nagged her from the back of her mind, begging her to finish her thoughts.

 **Kunigami, Okinawa**

Maho, Erika and the rest of the Kuromorimine Senshadou team rolled down the ramp in their tanks, watched by curious locals and JSDF troops. Maho led the column, directing them to a temporary tank garage. She got out of the tank and was greeted by a man and woman in a JSDF uniform.

"Welcome to Kunigami, Miss Nishizumi! I am Colonel Arai." The woman introduced herself. She had short, ginger hair and wore glasses.

"Lieutenant colonel Hiroi," The man saluted. He was young, tall, and had cropped, jet black hair.

Maho saluted back. "Thank you,"

"Since we appreciate your help, tonight you and your crew will be staying in a inn with an onsen, along with anything you can wish for," Arai said.

"An onsen would be nice," Maho agreed.

Hiroi chipped in as well. "There's also a Boko shop, if you're interested," This grabbed Maho's attention. "There are two special Bokos that are sold only here in Okinawa: An American marine Boko and and an IJA Boko." Maho tried to contain her smile, but only resulted in a creepy grin that confused the JSDF officers.

Maho and the team reached the inn, who ran around, looking at the shops. Maho quickly ran over to the Boko shop and bought four, two for her and Miho. She offered to buy a pair for Erika, who refused politely.

"We'll have dinner in around twenty minutes, and then you guys can head over to the onsen," Arai said.

Hiroi turned around. "Well, I'm out. Have fun ladies," With that he left the inn to go back to his barracks. Maho was ecstatic, stroking the marine Boko on the head.

…..

The team and Arai sat at the table, eating at the dining room, eating Okinawan and Japanese cuisine.

"This is good!" Koume squealed.

"Different from the usual good we eat," Erika noted.

Maho looked at her. "You do eat a lot of hamburgers," she said, to which Erika blushed.

"How's Okinawa everyone?" Arai shouted. "Good!" A chorus of voices rang out. Arai laughed. "Good, good, it's only going to get better from here on out!" She got out several bottles of sake. "Drink friends, drink it all!" She opened a bottle and started chugging it.

"We're minors, ma'am." Maho interrupted.

Arai looked at her with a expression of disbelief. "Aw, come on! You can't be serious!" She complained.

There was a series of thundering booms and the room started to shake. The girls became frightened and grabbed themselves in fear.

"What's going on?" Erika asked. Arai chuckled. "Aw, that's just the artillery shelling the enemy positions. I'm sure they'll return fire as well," The booming and shaking continued for two hours, before everything went quiet and the girls sighed in relief.

After dinner they went to the onsen, washing themselves before entering the warm water.

"I can't believe we're enjoying ourselves like this," Erika said, sitting in the onsen. "The people we're supposed to be fighting are just a few dozen kilometers away."

Maho looked at her. "They're probably just letting us have some rest before the battle starts. We should take full advantage, as we won't be able to afford such luxuries once we're at the frontlines,"

"Erika-san, Commander, looked what we found!" Koume's voice echoed throughout the room.

"What is it?" Maho asked, looking over across the hot spring.

"Sake! Sake at the onsen! Isn't it wonderful?" Koume shrieked with delight. She chugged it before Maho could stop her.

"Stop!" Maho shouted. "We're minors, and we're going to the frontlines tomorrow! We can't afford to get drunk and get hangovers!"

The girls refused to listen, and they started taking turns drinking straight from the bottle.

"Why are there sake bottles in the onsen in the first place?" Maho facepalmed and Erika stared at the girls, wanting to join in but didn't want to disappoint Maho.

 **June 7th, 2024**

Maho jumped awake at six in the morning. She forgot for a minute where she was, and then remembered she was in Okinawa. She looked around the room. Erika was sleeping next to her, and Koume and the rest of the girls were piled on top of each other across the room.

Arai stormed through the door, and blasted an air horn. The loud noise blasted everyone awake; Erika jumped awake and Koume stumbled up and vomited. "Wake up, maggots! I need all of you to get ready for combat; the enemy can strike at anytime, so I don't want any of you to be surprised." She shouted at the top of her lungs.

…...

The girls scrambled around, changing into their uniforms, eating rations and fill their tanks with fuel and ammunition.

"Erika, is everything ready?" Maho yelled.

"Yes, commander, we are ready to advance," Maho climbed onto her Panzer X. "Alright, Panzer vor!" She yelled into her mike.

30 tanks roared to life and the iron column rumbled forwards to the frontlines. They were joined by APCs and Type 10 MBTs carrying infantry.

"Hey, Nishizumi," Maho looked to her right. It was Lieutenant Colonel Hiroi. "How'ja sleep?" He asked.

"Good, for once." Maho answered.

"Well, that's good-" Hiroi started he was interrupted by someone on his throat mike. He groaned. "We need to hurry up; It seems 4,000 North Koreans are attacking Ogimi." He told Maho.

Maho nodded. "Alright, everyone, increase speed."

…...

They trudged forward for an hour; they finally heard the popping of rifles and explosions of grenades.

"That's close," Maho noted. "They've advanced pretty far in a short amount of time." The Kuromorimine tanks exited the forest and entered into an open road.

" _The town is straight ahead, we better hurry,_ " Hiroi radioed Maho.

They saw the first building, a school building, which was used as an HQ by the JSDF. The Type 89 IFV in which Hiroi stopped, and He jumped out. All other infantry dismount their vehicles and spread out across the school grounds. Maho stopped her Panzer X, and the entire column halted.

"Maho!" Hiroi shouted.

"Yessir?" Maho turned towards him.

"The enemy seems to be amassing a large force to try to take our position. I need you to set up a defensive line with your tanks. We've got anti-air and infantry providing support for you," Hiroi told her, "After we decimate their attack, we'll storm through route 58 and liberate the village. Better hurry, the Koreans are a bit angsty right now."

Maho nodded. "Erika, take ten tanks and position them across route 58 and 2204 Nūha. Ritaiko, bring four tanks and place them by 2215 Nūha. I will take the eleven and create a firing line from across the school grounds. The rest of you will be the reserve force," She ordered.

"Yes, commander!" The girls replies crackled through the radio.

….

Erika waited, her Panzer XII being parked in between a shack and some shrubs, a decent cover against being spotted. She looked at her watch. It was almost eight. _Is the enemy coming out or not?_ She wondered. She tapped her foot anxiously. She checked the machine gun and missiles for ammunition, which was filled.

"Want some coffee, Erika-san?" The driver asked. Erika nodded, and took the cup. "Thanks." She said, before taking a sip.

She heard the low rumbling of artillery, and within seconds explosions rocked her tank. Erika grabbed the side of her seat to stabilize herself while the Panzer XII rocked back and forth.

" _It seems the enemy is starting their attack_ ," Maho's voice calmly told everyone from the radio. " _We must halt the attack here. I trust in all of you._ "

Erika peeked out of the cupola hatch. The artillery had hit their position hard; it seems one Jagdpanzer VII was detracked, and several infantrymen were inflicted with serious injuries. She fully opened the hatch and leaned out. She saw several dozen North Koreans swiftly appearing from the shadows of the mountains and advancing through the dust. They dispersed to eliminate each armored position. Several M1992 APCs lumbered after the infantry, lobbying shells at the entrenched tanks. Shells plunged themselves into the ground, nearly hitting Erika.

"Fire back! Fire back!" Erika shouted. The Panzer XII aimed straight at an M1992 and fired a HESH round right into the hull. The round pierced the hull and exploded inside, killing the crew in an instant.

The gunner leaned back, face in her hands. "I..I killed someone.." Her voice quivered.

"Don't stop firing!" Erika yelled.

"But, vice-commander.." The loader started. "It's either us or them! Don't think, just fire!" Erika shouted. "If you don't want to die, then keep firing!" She screamed, the adrenaline rushing through her veins.

Three North Korean soldiers, armed with RPGs ran towards Erika's Panzer XII, flanking it from the right, left and front. When Erika noticed them the one on the left was already aiming their grenade launcher at the Panzer XII. She swore to herself as she swiveled the coaxial machine gun and fired at the North Korean man. The bullets tore through his leg, guts, and head, and he fell over, dropping his RPG to the ground.

Erika turned to the right, where the man was shot down by the infantry.

The man in the front fired his grenade, but it sailed wide and failed to do any damage. The panzer XII turned and fired at the man in the front. He exploded, and when the dust cleared nothing of him remained.

….

Maho was providing covering and support fire for the foremost positions. Before her were the smoldering ruins of several North Korean IFVs and APCs. She let the crews escape, as there was no point in gunning down retreating soldiers. Her only intent was the destruction of armor, not lives.

Eight North Koreans ran out into the open before being cut down by machine gun fire. Maho cringed, and she sat back down on the commander's seat. "How is everything?" She asked.

Her gunner wiped her forehead and grinned. "Perfectly fine, commander," She replied. Maho looked at the loader.

The loader shrugged her shoulders. "Live ammo is much heavier, but whatever,"

Maho nodded. "Good. Continue engaging with the enemy," She said.

A shell landed near the Panzer X, but failed to do any damage.

"Open fire!" Maho ordered. The Panzer X fired back, destroying the vehicle. "Good job!" She said, as the crew of the destroyed vehicle scrambled out and ran away.

" _You're doing pretty well for yourself_ ," Hiroi radioed Maho.

"Thanks. I thought this would have been harder _,_ " Maho replied.

" _Don't count on it_ ," Hiroi laughed before signing off.

Just as Maho got off the throat mic, she heard a deafening roar outside. _What the hell is going on?_ She wondered as she opened the cupola hatch. She saw at least one hundred North Korean soldiers and 40 IFVs and APCs, as well as at least ten tanks, charging her position.

Maho ducked as gunfire ricocheted off the Panzer X. The North Koreans run past their comrades' dead body, spraying assault rifle fire and tossing grenades. The entrenched JSDF troops fired back, killing dozens at a time. The IFVs stormed through the defense, crushing JSDF troops and forcing others to fall back. A heavy machine gun nest perched atop the high school building rained bullets onto the North Koreans, killing ten of them. A North Korean RPG fired a shot at the machine gun nest, and the subsequent explosion threw the gunner off the building. He landed with a _thud_ onto an IFV.

…...

Erika was shooting nonstop into the mass of North Korean soldiers. "Fall back, we're going to be overrun!" She ordered. Her Panzer XII sputtered to life and started to move back.

"Pokpung-ho tank, four O'clock!" The driver shouted.

Erika gritted her teeth in frustration. "Take it out," She ordered.

The gunner turned the turret and aimed it at the North Korean tank. But before she could fire, the Pokpung-ho shot first, the round striking the right side of the Panzer XII. A metallic shriek enveloped the entire tank, and the occupants covered their ears.

"Goddammit!" Erika shouted. The gunner adjusted her aim, and fired a HEIAP round into the Pokpung-ho tank. The round hit it squarely in the turret, and it turned bright from the flames. The crewmembers crawl out, trying to extinguish the flames. They ran around screaming, to the shock and dismay of the Panzer XII crew. The gunner began to cry, and the radio operator nearly vomited.

Erika herself shook with fright. She straightened herself and scowled. "Get yourself together! We still have work to do!" She shouted.

The crew fixed themselves up. "Yes, vice-commander!"

…...

The North Korean assault started to falter, as many of their soldiers were shot down and most of their armor became metallic coffins. The remaining soldiers stopped their attack, and within minutes the retreat became a rout.

Maho looked out as the North Koreans ran to the mountains. "It's over," She whispered. She climbed out of the Panzer X, inhaling deeply.

Erika also exited her Panzer XII, along with the rest of the crew. The gunner immediately ran to a nearby bush and vomited.

Erika walked over to her and placed her hand on the gunner's back. "You did a good job, Kanagawa." She said.

The gunner wiped her mouth and eyes. "Really..?" She asked.

Erika nodded. "Yeah, you did your job, and continued even after people died because of it," She slid down the tree she was leaning on. "I knew I was harsh back then, but I had to. I'm sorry." She apologized.

Kanagawa shook her head. "No, I have to thank you. If you didn't yell at us, I don't think we would have been able to continue,"

Both of them walked back to the group of soldiers gathered around in a circle.

Maho spotted them and ran up to them. "Erika, good job on holding that position. We're now going to go on the offensive. We're restocking fuel and ammunition right now," She said.

"How..many enemies did we kill?" Erika asked.

"We found the bodies of at least 230 enemy bodies, and 38 armored vehicles destroyed. We lost 42 soldiers and five tanks. None of the tanks were from Kuromorimine, though four were detracked," Maho listed.

Erika gasped. "Two hundred..and thirty? They sent that many soldiers through a narrow mountain pass?"

Maho nodded. "Their attack was a failure. Now it's our turn for a counterattack," She shuddered lightly.

"Commander, are you alright?" Erika asked.

Maho smiled. "Yeah, what just happened was pretty unnerving. But don't worry," She assured Erika.

Hiroi walked over to them. "Hey, good job. You guys were cool under fire. Was it because of Senshadou?" He questioned.

"Yeah, that had to help," Maho replied.

"Alright, get ready. We're going to move out in forty minutes. The artillery's going to bombard the enemy defenses to pieces," As Hiroi said that the booming of artillery began to start. They all looked over to hear multiple explosions across the mountain.

"Tamaya!" Hiroi yelled enthusiastically. "Destroy those bastards!" Erika tried to walk over to her tank, but froze in place when images of the soldiers she killed flashed through her mind. The torn-apart soldier with the RPG, intestines dangling out and blood flying everywhere. The shock and pain on his face before he died. The men who were on fire, excruciating pain…

"Erika!" Maho's voice brought Erika back to reality. "Is something wrong?" She asked, being visibly worried.

Erika shook her head. "Nothing at all, commander. I will be right there."

* * *

 **Type 89: An IFV in JSDF service**

 **HEIAP: High-explosive incendiary/armor-piercing ammunition**


	6. Soldiers of the Amazon

**Chapter six: Soldiers of the Amazon**

 **Okinawakenritsuhento High School, Okinawa, 12:32 p.m.**

"Let's go, move out!" Maho's voice rang out. Thirty tanks deployed into a column and roared through the narrow mountain pass. Maho led the column, watching out for any North Korean defenses and ambushes. "All clear." She transmitted through the radio. "It seems the North Koreans have retreated all the way to the village." APCs and IFVs drove by the tank column, the infantry prepared for urban combat.

Maho saw the first building, a small house stuffed with sandbags and machine guns. Maho fired a shot into the building, which it collapsed and the defenders scattered. Mortar fire began to rain down onto the tank column, bombs exploding all around.

"Commander, please get down!" The crew of the Panzer X pleaded.

Maho complied, sitting down and closed the hatch. "Everyone, move forward!" She ordered. The tanks broke formation, and fired a volley into the village, destroying houses and killing the occupants.

Maho drove her Panzer X to the edge of the village. _Damn,_ She thought. _Urban combat is going to be difficult, with infantry and all that._ She sighed in relief as Japanese infantry stormed the houses, breaking down doors and throwing grenades. Gunfire erupted across the village, as North Koreans and Japanese fought for every house, every floor, every room. JSDF escorted civilians outside, before flushing out any North Korean troops.

Maho's Panzer X rolled down the street, supporting the infantry. A North Korean aimed his grenade launcher from a window at the Panzer X. He fired, but the grenade went astray, hitting a house across the street. Maho looked at the smoke trail of the grenade. "Anti-tank in the second story window of the house, 11 O'clock." She told her gunner.

The tank fired once, eradicating the entire second floor.

From the corner of her eye, Maho spotted a Pokpung-Ho tank. "Enemy tank!" She shouted. The house next to Maho exploded, showering the Panzer X with splinters and roof tiles. "Move back." She ordered, and the Panzer X retreated and took cover behind a house. The Pokpung-Ho tank advanced, followed by several soldiers carrying anti-tank rockets.

A Jagdpanzer VII rolled past Maho's Panzer X, much to her surprise."What are you doing? Get back here!" Maho shouted.

" _Don't worry, commander. We got this!"_ The enthusiastic cry from the Jagdpanzer shook Maho with fright.

"There's an enemy tank and anti-tank infantry! Don't get yourselves killed!" Maho roared. She opened up the hatch and looked out. The Pokpung-Ho tank and the infantry fired their rockets at the Jagdpanzer VII. All hit the Jagdpanzer, and it began to smolder.

"Are you alright?" Maho shouted into the mic.

" _A bit rattled but we're fine."_ The girls replied as they began to climb out of the ruined tank.

"Provide covering fire!" Maho ordered. The Panzer X drove out of its hiding spot and lobbed a shell at the North Koreans. Maho grabbed the coaxial machine gun and fired towards the North Koreans. Other Panzer Xs and XIIs moved to assist the crew. But while everyone focused on the front, no one realized the threat from the flank.

Too late, Maho realized the enemy who leaned out the window over the Jagdpanzer which the girls were struggling to get out of. He held a container, and he poured some liquid of some kind over the girls, who covered their heads in a panic. He then dropped a bottle with stuffed with burning rags-a molotov cocktail, one of the most fearsome handheld weapons of war.

Before Maho could shout a useless warning, the molotov cocktail made contact with the girls. The entire turret caught fire, and the top girl screamed, her flesh melting off. The other girls shrieked in terror, and desperately tried to escape, but the flames caught up too quickly. As she watched the sickening display, Maho realized what the liquid poured previously was-alcohol. She swiveled the coaxial machine gun and fired several shots.

The man's head exploded, blood and brain matter flying everywhere. Not that it saved the girls. The entire tank was engulfed in flames, Maho's classmates burning alive. As the girls stuck in the hatches slumped over, this sealed the fate of the rest of the girls inside. Maho was forced to turn away to continue the battle with tears in her eyes.

The Panzer X fired at the the Pokpung-Ho tank, penetrating the hull and killing the crew inside. "Move out." Maho ordered, and her Panzer X started to inch forward, gunning all North Korean infantry down. The other Panzer XII and Jagdpanzer VII also advanced, forced to ignore the burning remains of their comrades and classmates.

….

"Vice-commander, it seems the enemy has holed up at the village office!" Kanagawa reported.

Erika bit her lip in frustration. "We'll destroy the heavy defenses and support the infantry," She said. Her Panzer XII rolled up at the parking lot, only to be met with rocket and machine gun fire. "Fire!" She shouted. The Panzer XII fired a shot, landing a hit against a machine gun position.

Japanese infantrymen stormed the office, taking cover behind cars and trees. They traded gunfire with the defending North Koreans, killing dozens and losing several men themselves. They tossed grenades into the sandbags blowing men into pieces. Within fifteen minutes the thirty-nine North Koreans were dead, along with twelve Japanese fatalities.

A single soldier motioned Erika to move her Panzer XII right up to the office. Erika fired the machine gun into the building, shattering windows and killing the soldiers inside. "Fire!" She ordered. The Panzer XII fired a single shot, the explosion reaching all corners of the building. After the dust settled, several JSDF troops stormed in, bayonets attached to their assault rifles. After a minute of gunfire and shouting, the JSDF troops returned outside, smiling and giving a thumbs up.

Erika continued her advance through the town, chasing the North Koreans back. She advanced upon the rice fields, where several dozen North Koreans were hiding. She split her forces to cover the entire field. Eleven Panzer Xs, five Panzer XIIs and three Jagdpanzer VIIs split up and covered the entire rice field, spraying gunfire on the surprised North Koreans. They killed at least twenty nine before the rest ran away.

"Vice-commander! What should we do about the path that leads through the mountains?" Kanagawa asked.

"Don't be worried about it. The infantry will deal with that later," Erika assured her. "We should meet up with the commander."

…..

Maho stared at the enemies falling back. She wanted so bad to shoot them in the back, but she knew how disgustingly low that was. Even after what she witnessed, she still wanted to retain her civility. "Sir, should we regroup before continuing the attack?" She asked Hiori.

" _Affirmative. Hold your ground until the rest of your Panzers and the infantry catch up,"_ The reply came quickly.

"Hold the entrance to the mountain pass." Maho ordered. She listened to the popping of rifles behind her, reminding her that the enemy was far from defeated.

Erika spotted Maho staring out into the sea from her Panzer. "Commander," She waved her hand. "Commander." Maho ignored her, continuing to stare. "Commander Nishizumi!" She waved her hand in front of Maho's face.

Maho jumped up. "Ah, Erika. You scared me," She said with a trembling smile.

"Commander, something wrong?" Erika asked.

Maho looked at her. "If it wasn't so harmful for your body, I would like to smoke a pack right now," She chuckled. When Erika showed a face of confusion, Maho just shook her head. "Sorry, bad joke."

Erika stared at her. _If she's making bad jokes, she must be pretty stressed._ She bit her lip. _I must exceed her expectations to raise her spirits._ She swore to herself.

The tanks advanced through the mountain pass, destroying any defense the North Koreans had to offer.

"Alright ladies, this is the final push. After this we'll have some well deserved rest," Maho told her teammates. "Give this everything you've got!"

"Yes, commander!"

…...

"Enemy convoy incoming!"

"Can you identify any vehicles?"

"Four M1992 APCs, two Pokpung-Ho IV tanks, six M-2010 APCs, and three BMP-1s."

"Good. Take them all out!"

A volley from the Panzer column decimated the North Koreans. Eight APCs were smoldering, and one Pokpung-Ho tank had caught fire. The BMPs had stopped and began firing back. A shell hit a tree next to Maho's Panzer X, and she had to duck as the tree fell over. North Korean soldiers disembarked from their APCs and firing their assault rifles. The Panzers didn't give them much of a chance to fight back; within minutes nearly two-thirds of the infantry were either dead or dying. The remaining Pokpung-Ho tank and BMP-1s retreated back to the remaining parts of the village the North Koreans held.

The Panzer column broke through the North Korean roadblocks and fired indiscriminately at anything that moved. The North Koreans, caught off guard by this sudden aggressive attack, slowly retreated away from the village. They were startled to find out that, route 58 was in fact blocked by the Panzers, so they had to use the backways through the mountains to escape back to their lines. However, to their added dismay, a convoy of Type 10 MBTs descended upon them from the mountains, pushing them back into the village once more. The North Koreans were forced to hole up in the houses and fight a last stand.

Koume loaded another shell into the breech. "Loaded," She shouted.

The Panzer X gunner nodded. "Firing!" She called out, and the Panzer X fired a shell into the community center. The community center exploded, killing all enemies inside. Koume loaded another shell. The adrenaline pumped through her veins, allowing to load shells more quickly. She heard the shouts of soldiers and rattling of machine guns. She was quite happy to be just a loader; she didn't have to kill anyone and was heavily protected. Suddenly all noise stopped. "Wha-what happened?" She asked.

"I don't know. I'll take a look," The commander opened the hatch and looked out. Her expression turned from confusion, surprise then to delight. "They, the enemy surrendered!" She said.

…

The remaining some one hundred North Koreans raised white flags and their hands up, walking slowly towards the Japanese.

Koume jumped out of the Panzer X and saw Maho and Erika standing together. "Commander! Vice-commander!" She shouted, and they both turned around.

"Koume!" Maho shouted in reply. "You made it."

Erika grabbed her by the shoulder. "We won! We did it!" She exclaimed.

Maho looked at Erika. "Now I really need a smoke," They both laughed, while Koume looked on with confusion.

"Kuromorimine! Great job!" Hiroi said, high-fiving everybody he saw. "Our first victory!" He slapped Maho on the back. "Great job! I know you could do it!" He said.

"It wasn't just me," Maho replied. "How many casualties did we receive?"

Hiroi's voice turned serious. "We suffered 620 casualties, with at least 273 killed. We killed over 2,000 enemies. The rest, well they're over there," He pointed to the treeline. There were around thirty North Koreans, sitting down. They were guarded by several JSDF troops, awaiting transportation to a secure location, the rest were already taken away.

Erika and Koume walked over to the group.

Erika stared at the men, ranging from twenty to forty year olds. "We were fighting these guys?" Erika wondered out loud.

Koume spotted one man, leaning against a tree. He looked around twenty years old, but his face was heavily contorted. He was clutching his chest, where blood was seeping out. "He needs a medic!" She cried as she ran over to him.

A medic ran over and quickly looked over him. "He lost a lot of blood. He won't make it," The medic announced.

Koume looked at North Korean man. Even though he was an enemy, she couldn't bear to see him die. She placed her hand over his forehead. He grunted, and his arm was in his jacket. He was struggling to get something out, as he moved his arms back and forth.

Koume put her hands over his. "I'll help you," It didn't seem to register to her that doing this would be dangerous, but her samaritan personality kicked in. She pulled slightly, and the man's bloody hand came out. Koume looked at what she pulled out. It was a pin. The pin of a grenade.

The explosion caught everybody by surprise. Koume, the medic and the soldier were all turned to dust. Erika turned around, her mouth wide open. The prisoner in front of her grabbed a piece of shrapnel from off the ground, and charged at Erika. Erika turned back around to see the shrapnel aimed right at her neck.

"Erika!" A single shot rang in the air. The prisoner's hand let go of the piece of shrapnel, no longer able to grasp anything. The prisoner grabbed his hand, white from the loss of blood. Erika turned around to see Maho aiming a pistol. She briskly walked over to the prisoner and shot him in the head.

Erika fell over, eyes wide and hyperventilating. She looked up at Maho, and nearly wet herself.

Maho's expression didn't change, but her eyes told Erika otherwise. It wasn't the usual calm, confident eyes of her commander. No, it was the eyes of a wolf, consumed by anger and revenge. Maho looked at the pistol she held, the prisoners who cowered before her, and the soldier who ran up to her. Her vision went red, before completely blacking out.

Maho regained consciousness with colonel Arai shaking her.

"What do you think you're doing? I understand your grief, but this is too far!" Arai screamed.

"What? What are you saying?" Maho sputtered out. She looked down and realized she was holding an assault rifle. Shaking, she looked up. The prisoners before her were now dead, blood spilling out of the multiple bullet holes now in their bodies. Maho dropped the gun in fear. "I..I.." She sank down on to the ground.

"Commander…" Erika knelt down next to her. Maho grabbed Erika and started to cry loudly.

Initially taken back by Maho's reaction, Erika slowly stroke her hair. "It's okay, commander, everything is fine," She whispered.

"Miho," Maho sniffled. "She must not know of this."

Erika managed a smile. "of course, commander,"

 **Nerome Village, Okinawa, 8:42 P.M.**

Maho sat alone, outside the makeshift barracks. Erika and Arai had filled her in on what happened after she blacked out. According to all witnesses, Maho wrested an assault rifle from a soldier's hands and fired into the mass of prisoners. Arai and Erika tried to stop her, but she continued to fire until she killed every prisoner. She had even shot at the dead bodies. It was when she ran out of ammunition when Maho regained consciousness. Arai also later told her she was yelling while killing the prisoners-"You godless barbarians!" "Sons-of-bitches!" "You savages have no right to live!"-things along those lines. Maho buried her head in her hands. _How could she have her emotions run wild? She was no better than the enemy._

Erika peered out of the barracks. "Gonna come in?" She asked. Maho shook her head.

Erika walked over and sat down next to her. "Commander, it was all the stress that messed you up,"

"I let my friends die,"

"Commander, Koume's death wasn't your fault. We gave her a funeral as best as we could,"

"But.."

"Please, commander. We can't continue without you," Erika pleaded with Maho. "Don't take all the burden for yourself. We want to support you, so please, support us."

Maho looked down. "I'm sorry for causing you trouble, but-"

"But what, commander? Do you think you're the only one who has to deal with this? I've killed many enemies today, I caused their deaths! The blood, the bodies, their lives cut off all because of me. We're all in pain, commander. We need you, and you need us. We will support you. Wherever you go, we will follow," Erika stood up, "Commander, when you are ready, please do join us." She went back inside. Maho sighed. She felt her face, wet with tears.

"Nishizumi!" A voice called out. Maho looked up, and saw Hiroi walk up to her. "Someone needs a drink. Come, I found a place."

Maho shook her head. "I'm a minor."

Hiroi laughed. "No, no, no. In my eyes you are an adult. And I know you need to drink somethings away. This is an order, let's go,"

A few minutes later, Maho and Hiroi sat at a bar. Hiroi poured Maho a glass of sake.

"Thanks." Maho said as she took the glass. She quickly gulped it down.

"So, I saw what happened. I'm, sorry for what happened to your friends." Hiroi said, as he poured another glass.

"It's my fault. I didn't stop Koume, and I almost got Erika killed. And the Jagdpanzer crew whom I failed to warn properly-"

Hiroi slammed his fist. "Stop it," He turned to Maho. "You acted on your rationale. You did the right thing. No one else would have done anything different, and no one is judging you for your actions." He told her.

Maho downed another glass. "I'm not fit for the position of commander. I let my emotions wild. Erika is better fit for the position," She complained.

"Stop denigrating yourself!" Hiroi grabbed Maho's shoulders. "I know you're a good commander. I've followed you ever since you became a national sensation. I've followed every victory you've achieved. That's why I knew you were going to be able to help us win when I learned you would be serving under me!"

Maho wiped her eyes. "You're a fan?" A faint smile crept up on her face.

Hiroi smiled, too. "Heh, yeah. I bought posters and everything. Kind of embarrassing, but you're kind of an role model for me," He chuckled.

Maho laughed. "You sound like a little child." She exclaimed.

"No, no. I'm a year older than you, so you better call me 'senpai' from now on." Hiroi retorted.

There was an awkward silence for a while. Maho spoke up again. "The North Koreans. Why did they attack after they surrendered? That's against international law, or even common sense," She muttered, "It's not fair."

Hiroi nodded. "Life, war is not fair. I know this sounds harsh, but they have abandoned their humanity to conduct their war. We must abandon all morals and humanity to fight back. They intend to kill all of us, so we must do the same,"

Maho stared at him. "What are you saying?" She grabbed Hiroi's arm. "You're crazy."

"I know it's crazy. It is crazy. But I've seen it to the fullest. I've experienced the hell that war has become."

"What do you mean?" Maho asked.

Hiroi hesitated for a minute. "Uh, I'm not a Japanese citizen. I only moved to Japan around last year," Hiroi confessed.

Maho gazed up with wide eyes. "So you mean.."

Hiroi nodded. "I'll tell you my experience in the American Civil War."

* * *

 **Terms:**

 **M-2010: A North Korean APC**

 **BMP-1: The first mass-produced IFV of the Soviet Union**


	7. State of the World

**State of the world: 2020-24**

 **Brief explanation of the state of the world(Mostly the United States of America)**

* * *

 **America**

By 2020 the economy was in shambles, and the people's trust in the president eroded. The election of 2020 was one of the fiercest and close elections in history, if not the most, between Democratic Alfred Grey and Republican Jeffrey king. Armed gangs roamed the streets, beating political enemies. Clashes across the country left at least thirty dead, hundreds arrested.

Both men were legends of their time. Grey was an esteemed general in the army, and was a senator from Oregon. King was a successful entrepreneur and business magnate. Both of them were popular with the public. Grey spoke for middle-class and minorities, while King espoused the poor-working class.

The race intensified when it was discovered Grey rigged the DNC to vote him in as the Democratic nominee. It didn't help when he was also accused of corruption and blackmail. Anti-fas ran through the street, targeting King supporters. The media covered up for Grey, instead focusing on something King said over twenty years ago. This angered the population even more.

On election day voters from all across the country piled on the voting booths, eager to choose the fate of the nation. It was an extremely close race, but Jeffrey King managed to pull off a victory. The country for the most part rejoiced, while the Democrat sulked.

Already for the start things became scandalous. King's cabinet and advisors were made up of his closest friends-known as the "Big-shot Gang." They advised King on all matters, and convinced him to initiate the Washington protocol. King was already an aggressive man, who believed the U.S. needed to renew the spirit of "Manifest Destiny", was eager for the "Washington Protocol" which called for American expansion. So when his secretary of state Charles Holmes nudged him forwards, he began to act. He got the Canadian prime minister to form a American-Canadian Federation, though

the U.S. would ultimately be in charge.

King sent soldiers to Mexico, which was on the verge of collapse, to "re-establish stability", a de facto occupation of the entire country. He sent the marines throughout the Caribbean sea, landing troops on Cuba, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. Within three months, King had control of the entirety of North America.

King's popularity plummeted. Nearly 60% of Americans believed he was abusing his powers. Riots erupted across the country, and the military was called in to suppress the threat. Thousands of people were killed, wounded and arrested during the two months known as "Riot Rumble". Eventually many people got sick of it and revolted. Millions of Anti-fas, liberals, Socialists, Anarchists, Democrats and the radicalized Communist terrorist group Black Lives Matter took arms and led a campaign of terror across the nation. BLM took an especially gruesome campaign of targeting whites and Asians. Nearly 10,000 people died within the first week. The military and police retaliated, arresting and executing thousands of left-leaning individuals. Right-wing militias joined them, fighting the liberal rebels. The KKK resurged, reaching four million members. They fought in pitched battles in major cities such as Chicago. At first the rebellion was popular, but the public opinion soon changed after the numerous atrocities committed by the leftist rebels became apparent. The KKK also killed thousands of African Americans during the war, with some estimates claiming nearly 100,000 were murdered. In all, more than two million died during the "Revolution" from 2021-3.

All this time rebellions popped up in the occupied nations, and the U.S. and its collaborators failed to rein them in. At first the resistance distributed leaflets, to which the U.S. troops rounded up random individuals and executed them. This in turned to peaceful protests, which the U.S. responded by firing at the protesters. This finally transformed to armed resistance. Guerrilla fighters ambushed patrols and assassinated high ranking individuals. They began fighting the occupiers in full fledged battles, fully supported the populace. They were provided with munitions, food and volunteers. They slowly liberated their countries, pushing the U.S. and the collaborators out. The Colonial War cost the U.S. and their collaborators nearly nine million casualties, while the resistance and occupied people suffered eight million deaths alone. By 2025 U.S. troops left all foreign soil.

Protests had sprung up once again in the USA. Thousand had gathered by the Lincoln memorial, where president King and vice president Harris Teller was addressing the protesters. Suddenly explosions erupted all across the memorial, killing the president and vice president. Security fired down at the protesters, who tried to run away. Over 5,000 people died that day. No one knows who really set up the explosives, but that was the final straw. Millions of militias sprung up, attacking military and security forces. The KKK And BLM once again took up arms and fought a bitter race war.

The deaths of president King and vice president Teller threw the government in chaos. The "Big-shot Gang" quickly decided to place Charles Holmes as acting president. He quickly took control, sending the army and police to defeat the rebels, fighting in every major city. In New York City, the almost quarter of a million militiamen turned the entire city into a fortress. The U.S. marines and army began a bloody battle to take back New York City, with millions of civilians stuck in the middle.

In late 2023, the Southern states grew tired of being under Federal control, and reestablished the Confederacy. When he heard of the Confederacy, Holmes ordered the army to squash the rebels. One by one, other regions declared independence: Cascadia, Texas, Alaska, Hawaii, Appalachia, The Great Lakes Confederation, The Confederation of the Rocky Mountains, New England, Dakota Federation, Delmarva, Deserit and Blackstone Valley all became foreign states, with heads-of-states and fielding militaries.

Washington D.C. was under attack immediately, first from rebels, then from the Delmarvan, Confederate and New English Troops. The Confederates and Floridan militaries surrounded and destroyed the U.S. marines down in Tampa.

Within four years, nearly three million people have already died.

* * *

 **Europe**

Russia's military leaders watched with interest as the USA fell into chaos, and decided to go forth with their plan to conquer Eastern Europe. Along with their ally Belarus, they launched a blitzkrieg campaign into Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Moldova, Hungary and Ukraine, and quickly took over the countries with overwhelming military strength. They then invaded Poland, Sweden and Bulgaria. The other European nations watching quickly gathered their armies and prepared to defend themselves against the Russian onslaught. Bulgaria, Romania, and Slovakia fell next, and Sweden was reeling back in defeat.

In late 2021, A force of Russian, Belarusian, Baltic, Polish, Ukrainian, Poles, Hungarians, Romanians, Bulgarians, and Moldovans launched an invasion of Germany, surrounding Berlin and Frankfurt. The Germans, desperately defending their country, receives help from French, Austrian, Benelux and other European nations, bolstering its armies and pushing the Russians and their allies away from Germany and back into Poland. As the Europeans crossed the Polish borders, Polish resistance fighters sprang up to hasten the overthrow the Russian conquerors.

In 2023, The Swedes launch a major counteroffensive, with help from Norwegians, Danish and English troops, and pushed the Russians all the way out of Sweden. They continue to advance through Finland, liberating territory held by the Russians.

The Russians setup brutal regimes in their occupied territories, arresting tens of thousands of people and taking them back to Russia. They murdered hundreds of thousands of people, and in the case of Ukraine, millions. They used native collaborators to enforce their laws, patrol their streets and fight in the frontlines. They cracked down on the resistance, hanging partisans and executing innocent civilians. But as they get pushed back to Russia, the liberated people take up arms and join the Europeans, eager for revenge for the injustices committed against them.

* * *

 **Asia**

In 2021, North Korea launched a huge offensive against South Korea. They captured Seoul in the first few months, but the South Koreans persevered against the North Korean onslaught. The North Koreans push continuously the South Koreans back to the sea. The South Korean army finally surrendered, where they were sent to prison camps. The North Koreans quickly began capturing, beat, and murdered the native populations. The South Korean resistance grew as the years went by, until they became a professional army, capable of going head-to-head with the North Koreans.

China also launched their own offensives in Southeast Asia. They invaded Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. They also launched an amphibious invasion of Taiwan, sending hundreds of jets to bomb the entire island-nation to pieces. The Chinese marines landed across the entire island, and began the pushing the defenders back into a small corner. After two years the Chinese killed millions of Taiwanese, and they surrendered.

China invaded Nepal and Mongolia, taking them within months. This scared India and Malaysia, now bordering China. They began negotiations with the other Asian nations and signed a defense agreement. Japan wanted to stay neutral, so didn't join the agreement.

In late 2023, 700,000 Chinese troops invaded Malaysia, pushing the Malaysian Army back. Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Philippines sent soldiers to Malaysia, trying to stop the Chinese army back. Millions of soldiers are fighting around Kuala Lumpur, trying to save the capital of malaysia.

In 2024, 30,000 North Koreans landed in Okinawa, surprising the 18,000 Japanese defenders. They took over most of the island, except for Kunigami and Uruma. They attacked Ogimi village, almost taking it, before being pushed back by a Japanese counteroffensive. Both the North Koreans and Japanese land extra reinforcements to continue the bloody battle.

* * *

 **Middle East**

In 2020, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan planned to attack Israel, to destroy them for the final time. They also wanted to help the Palestinians, who were being heavily hounded by the Israelis. The Israelis caught wind of the plan, however, and decided to launch their own offensive.

They invaded Lebanon, destroying all resistance in three weeks. They also launched an offensive into Jordan, Syria and Egypt, before being pushed back by Egyptian, Jordanian and Syrian forces. Syria launched an offensive into Lebanon, and became caught in a bloody stalemate with the Israelis.

The Palestinians, supplied by the Egyptians, launched several terrorist attacks against the Israelis, killing nearly 1,000 civilians.

The Egyptian, Syrian, and by now the Iraqi air force bombed Israel, killing tens of thousands of people. The Israelis responded by launching several missiles against Syria. The Israelis launch another offensive in early 2024, pushing the Egyptians all the way back to the Suez. The Iraqis began to send soldiers to Syria, who are beginning to amass a huge force for an offensive.


	8. Fall of a Nation

**Chapter Seven: Fall of a Nation**

 **San Francisco, United States of America, March 11th, 2023**

The man adjusted his glasses as he watched the television. The president was on screen, giving a speech to a crowd of protesters. "Let's see what he's going to do.." He whispered.

Julius Stevens sighed. Despite being a former senator, he felt no love for the country anymore, and extreme hatred for the president on the screen. He was the one who ruined the country. He looked over at the mantle. A picture of a young man in an army uniform, saluting and smiling in front of the American flag.

Julius scowled. President Jeffrey King had taken his eldest son's life by sending him to subjugate Mexico, only to be murdered by partisans. He turned back to the TV. King was still there, yammering on about 'uniting under the flag' and 'stand strong' and 'overcome all of our struggles' and shit like that. He rummaged around his jacket for a cigarette, before remembering that his wife had confiscated all packs he had owned. He heard the door open and close. It was his son, Hiroi, coming home from school. "No work?" He yelled.

"Nope, got someone to cover for me today," Hiroi replied.

Julius snorted. "Don't slack off just because you have it better than most people,"

"What's on TV?" Hiroi leaned behind Julius, "Oh, it's the prez. I thought it would be something about Europe or Asia or something like that."

Julius looked up. "Do you enjoy watching human suffering?" He glared at his son, who shook his head in panic.

"No, not at all. It's just that we're in the most tumultuous time in history, and I want to soak as much as I can." Hiori answered.

ulius nodded in agreement. "You're right, son. We're just spectators of the world stage, like an enormous coliseum back in the Roman era," As Hiroi was walking up the stairs, Julius looked back again. "Nice use of a vocab word, by the way." He said.

Hiroi smiled. "Thanks,"

…..

Hiroi slumped on his bed, throwing his book bag across the room. He grinned happily, taking his phone out. It was at school where his crush-a girl named Lavender Tarleton-confessed to him! She had walked up, or to be more precise, pushed by her friends to his lunch table. Her entire face was red, glaring at him with teary eyes. She whispered "I like you." before speeding off in the opposite direction, to the bewilderment of Hiroi and his friends. The news spread across the entire school, and the two were immediately shipped together. Hiroi kept his cool from the teasing, but under the facade he was ecstatic. The day went quickly for him, as his mind wandered about his first date, first kiss and other things typical of teenage couples.

Hiroi scrolled through his social media feed, watching Gifs and liking memes. He got a message from his best friend, Zach. _Yo, dude, when are you gonna bang that chick yet?_

Hiroi rolled his eyes in disgust.

 _Dude, it's literally been only an hour since school ended. Can your perverted mind shut up for a minute?_

 _I'm just checking dude. We're friends, so we should tell each other of these kinds of stuff, right?_

 _That's none of your fucking business man, and we've barely even talked to each other yet._

 _Yo, chill dude. What's with you?_

Hiroi exited social media when he heard his father curse from downstairs.

Julius continued to watch the television, glaring at the president. He was still ranting about 'Reuniting our open wounds'.

"We must recognize the danger our country is in! For us to rebuild we must-" A sudden explosion rocked the podium. President King and vice-president Teller disappeared within the blast. Several more blasts erupted in the crowd of protesters. The crowd panicked and began to run away, only to be gunned down by secret service and police officers. The camera falls over, and the TV turns to a news studio.

A brunette anchor wiped her forehead nervously. Shouts of panic could be heard from the background. "Um, it seems a terrorist attack has killed the president and vice-president." She began hyperventilating.

"Fuck!" Julius swore.

Hiroi ran down the stairs. "What happened?" He asked. His mother walked in as well, puzzled from the commotion.

Julius's phone rang. He picked it up.

" _Julius, it's me. You seen the news yet?"_ A voice said.

"Yeah, I have. This is the last straw. We need to get the group together. Tom, do you think you can make it?"

" _I don't think it's safe at your place anymore. It's not safe anywhere. There's already riots and fighting everywhere. Hell, there's a huge fight between the cops and militias across the street right now."_

"Don't worry. Just get everyone to come over here. Also, take your guns with you." Julius hung up. He looked at his family. "Hiroi, can you stay over at a friend's place tonight?"

Hiroi shrugged. "I don't know." he replied.

 **9:00 P.M.**

Several men hunched over by the kitchen table.

"What do we do, now that the president is dead?" The overweight man asked.

Julius sighed. "This is finally the time to break off and create our own country." He said.

"Militias in California, Oregon and Washington are planning for a takeover of the west coast and create the Republic of Cascadia," The African American spoke up. "But the new president's going to try to stop us." He said.

Julius looked at him. "Tom, the new president's got no power right now. He's going to fall down like King," He assured Tom. "This is the perfect moment. Harold, get your troops in San Diego ready for an attack against the army. Shayne, gather your supporters in Sacramento. Ford, get the mayor to support our cause. The rest of you, gather your forces and wait for my orders."

There was a large bang at the door, forcing all of the men to jump up.

"This is the police! Open up now!" A large booming voice called out.

"Fuck, it's Collins," Julius swore. "Go out the back, you won't be seen there." He whispered.

A large _crash_ indicated the door was broken down. Several policemen stormed through the broken doorway and fanned throughout the house.

Julius unholstered his Desert Eagle and fired a shot at the first officer who peeked around the corner. The shot hit the corner, and the police officer ducked back. Julius himself took cover behind a table. "Shit, shit shit." He muttered.

"Julius~I know you're there~~." A voice sang from the hallway.

"Collins, the hell do you want," Julius grumbled.

"You think you were safe just because you were a former senator? Give me a break, I've been watching you for months. I wasn't going to do anything but then the rebels murdered the president," Collins said.

"You don't know if it was the result of the rebels," Julius replied.

"Oh, I don't need proof for that," Collins laughed. "Just surrender, and maybe I might be willing to spare you." Collins stepped out into the open. "Surrender. All of your friends are captured, and-" The he shoved someone in front of him. "She might get the bullet." He sneered menacingly.

Julius froze; It was his wife. He gritted his teeth in frustrations, but placed his gun down and stood up, hands behind his head. Collin's smile grew wider, and beckoned Julius to walk over. Julius slowly headed towards Collins, who grabbed him by the collar. He dragged Julius and threw into the living room. "You filthy traitor," He snarled. "You'll learn your place soon enough."

"Sir, what should we do with the son?" An officer asked.

"Not my son!" Pleaded Julius.

Collins looked at him. "We're not barbarians. We're not going to kill your son," He cocked his pistol. "But unfortunately for you, this is the end." He hissed.

Julius glared at him with his piercing blue eyes. "You liar.." He whispered.

Collins threw his head back in a laugh. He grabbed Julius's wife by the hair and shot her in the head.

The blood spattered onto Julius, whose eyes widened in fear and shock. "Bastard! You fucking bastard!" He screamed. A police officer stepped up from behind and shot him in the back of the head, and his body slumped over, blood seeping the carpet.

Hiroi was snoring heavily when the door opened with a slam. Hiroi jumped awake to see an armored police officer standing over him. He grabbed Hiroi and started to drag him downstairs. He was still groggy from sleep and was not able to fight back. As the officer dragged him through the house he looked to his right, towards the living room. His eyes widened in shock as he saw the bodies of his parents being dragged away. He began to struggle, but the police officer tightened his grip on Hiroi.

The officer threw Hiroi into the back of a truck. Hiroi looked up to see the men that was with Julius earlier.

"Hey kid. How'ya feeling?" Tom asked as Hiroi picked himself up.

"I don't know.." He replied.

The fat man sighed. "It's over. We're going to be killed," He said.

Hiroi sat down next to Tom. "We're not going to die, Mr. Harold," He reassured Harold.

Harold stared down. "Collins's going to put a bullet in all of us!" He began to cower.

A moustached man snorted. "I gave up a long time ago. I don't care if I die," He stated as a matter of factly.

"Shayne, no one else is a cynic, so I don't want to hear it., Tom replied.

"Hey, friends!" Everyone turned to see Collins jump in the back and close the door. "How's everyone feeling tonight?" He smiled, a mocking jeer.

"You fuckin' bastard," Tom whispered.

"Well, well, Tom Sweeney, always the foul-mouthed one, aren't you?" Collins poked Tom in the shoulder, who groaned. "Don't worry. You traitors will be sent to a prison far away, in solitary confinement." He gleefully explained.

The truck began moving at full speed, hitting road bumps and skidding around corners. The prisoners tumbled around in the truck. Hiroi put his hands over his head, scared out of his mind. He has no idea where he's going, and if he's even going to survive the night.

Collins peered down at him. "Don't worry kid, you're most likely going to live," He laughed.

Hiroi glared at him. "You bastard." He spat out.

Collins bellowed out a loud laugh. "They don't call me 'SS of the West Coast' for nothing," He boasted. He began to twirl his pistol around. "I've personally killed thousands of rebels, and ordered the executions of thousands more!" He sang aloud. He put the barrel at Hiroi's head. "Bang, bang." He taunted.

…...

Both of his parents were dead, and now he was being sent to who knows where, sentenced to life sentence by a crazy police officer. He sighed in resignation. _It's no use,_ He thought. _If I even try to escape, that bastard's going to put me down. Why even try?_ A sudden jerk cleared his mind.

"The fuck was that for?" Collins screamed into his radio.

" _Enemy vehicles spotted just around the corner!"_ The driver yelled back.

"Shit, stop the truck," He ordered.

The truck shuddered to a halt and the doors opened. Collins waved his pistol around. "Alright, you bastards, get the fuck out." He ordered. The prisoners quickly got out to see they were in an empty park. Several police cruisers and officers lined the streets.

"Line the fuck up!" Collins shouted, and several police officers ran over. "Do we have any reinforcements?" He demanded.

One officer shook his head. "None in this area, sir. We're in a sea of rebel territory," He replied.

Collins glanced at the prisoners. "They're dead weight," He muttered. "We need to liquidate them." He waved at four police officers, who got their assault rifles out.

"What's going on?" Hiroi hissed to Tom.

Tom shrugged. "Who knows. Probably going to be executed," He answered truthfully.

"Oh, well. I don't have anything to live for anyway-" Hiroi started, but remembered the events that transpired earlier that day. His crush, Lavender's face floated into his mind. "Fuck, I guess there is something to live for." He began to tear up.

"Sucks to be you, kid. I don't care what happens anymore," Shayne laughed.

"Hey!" An officer shouted. "Shut up!" The prisoners went quiet after that.

….

After what seemed like hours Hiroi heard Collins speak: "Alright gentlemen. I got bad news and good news. The bad news is that you're going to die-" Some of the prisoners began to squirm and scream. "-Shut up! The good news is, it's going to be painless. A bullet to the back of the head-not so bad compared to the other things I've done in the past. You should feel lucky." He cocked his pistol.

There were twelve prisoners total, and Collins summoned the four police officers, who aimed their rifles at the prisoners.

 _Bang!_ One prisoner down. _Bang! Bang! Bang!_ Three more fell to the ground. _Bang! Bang!_ Another two fell face first, blood pouring out of their head.

Hiroi began to hyperventilate as the officers stepped closer to him.

When Collins placed his pistol behind Shayne's head, Shayne began to laugh. "You fuckin' bastard. You're just doing what I've tried to do for years now. You're just-" _Bang!_ Shayne's face was contorted into an eternal grin, mocking Collins.

When Collins got to Harold, he began to cry. "I'm sorry. Please don't kill me!" He shouted. He turned around and began to cower at Collins's feet. "I know the locations of several rebels. If I could turn them in, would you please spare my life?" He pleaded.

Collins kicked him away. "You're more disgusting that I thought. Betraying your comrades. That's a low even I abhor," He shot Harold, who fell back with a look of anguish plastered on his face.

Collins stepped behind Tom.

"Just saying this, but you're not going to get away with this," Tom spat.

Collins chuckled. "Hey, six thousand people told me the same thing, but here I am," He gleefully retorted as the bullet tore through Tom's head. Collins pushed Tom's body to the ground with his foot.

Collins was now right behind Hiroi. "Well, kid. This is the end. I don't want to kill you kid, but this is how the world works. Say hey to your dad for me," He aimed his pistol at Hiroi, before pulling the trigger.

Nothing happened.

"Oh, fuck. Gotta reload. My bad," Collins said. "There, now we can continue our business." He was about to pull the trigger again when there was an explosion. Collins instinctively ducked down. All around gunfire erupted, bouncing off the armored cruisers and killing officers.

"The hell's going on?" Collins demanded.

"Sir, it's the rebels!" An officer responded. "We're being surrounded!"

Collins cursed in frustration. He grabbed Hiroi by the collar. "Great news kid. I've got a job for you. You're going to keep me alive, and I might consider letting you go as well," He hissed as he pointed the barrel at Hiroi's neck. Hiroi gulped and nodded.

….

The rebels had the cops surrounded. One man aimed his sight at a police officer taking cover behind a tree. He grinned, and squeezed the trigger. The officer fell, dropping his rifle.

"Advance!" The man ordered. Several rebels began to advance, taking potshots from officers. The man fired more bullets at the officers, who ducked for cover.

"Grenade!" The man saw the glint of the grenade sail over him and landed a few feet away. "Shit!" He jumped forwards, and only managed to escape to initial shock wave. He shook his head. Several men pulled him to his feet, and the man grinned. He grabbed his assault rifle. He aimed once more and found a target; A teen standing in front of a cop. "Is that a fucking kid?" He muttered. He tried to aim for the cop, but he kept on putting the kid in front of him. "Fuck, how do I get that guy?" He looked around the park, and got an idea. "Summers, Golden, flank that pig and throw a smoke." He ordered.

…...

"You stupid fuck! What are you doing?" Collins screamed as he fired his pistol wildly right near Hiroi's head. The bullets rang in Hiroi's ear, jumbling his mind.

Collins jerked Hiroi violently right next to him. "You're my goddamn shield, got that?" He yelled. Hiroi nodded in fear.

 _Shit shit shit shit!_ Hiroi's mind went wild. _How the fuck am I supposed to get away?_ Collins dragged Hiroi behind a tree. Hiroi heard Collins mutter a string of swear words.

"God, almost out of ammo," Collins gritted his teeth.

Suddenly smoke engulfed the entire park. "What the fuck!" Collins screamed in surprise. Hiroi took this time to elbow Collins in the face and made a run for it. He heard Collins shoot wildly in the smoke, trying to shoot him down. He heard more shouting as he desperately waved his hands in front of him.

Hiroi stumbled out of the smoke, and ran straight forwards, not looking back at the angry screams of Collins and popping of assault rifles.


	9. Maiden in the Castle

**Chapter eight: Maiden in the Castle**

Maho stared at him, speechless. "That's...horrible," she sputtered out.

Hiroi nodded. "After that I've ran for days, all the while the fighting around me only increased. I had to sleep in abandoned cars, under tunnels and in destroyed houses. I managed to get on a refugee ship bound for Japan, and I finally escaped from that hell," He put the bottle of sake down. "Things have been easier since then. I joined the JSDF because I wanted to fight for something I've lost. What I lost, I don't really know." He poured Maho another glass. "Must been hard for you, to come all the way over here, away from your family," He told her.

Maho nodded her head. "Yeah, it was painful to leave," She said, "But I'm going to stay and fight, so Miho won't have to." She leaned on Hiroi's shoulder, her head slumping over.

Hiroi looked down at Maho and saw she was drunk. He rolled his eyes and got a bottle of water. "Here," He passed the bottle to Maho, who drank it slowly.

Hiroi picked her up, and carried her out the bar, where he bumped into Erika.

"What do you think you're doing?" Erika demanded.

Hiroi backed up. "I was just taking her back to the barracks," He explained, "She got a little bit drunk.

"I'm fin..fine," Maho slurred out.

"How much did she drink?" Erika asked as she grabbed Maho.

"Not that much," Hiroi answered quickly.

Erika glared at him before leaning Maho by her shoulder. "Come on, commander, let's go back," She whispered, leaving Hiroi disappointed, yet pleased at the same time.

 **Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, Tokyo**

Alice sat quietly in the suite that was created just for her, staring at the several Bokos she brought with her. Her mother had brought her here a few weeks ago, apparently for her own safety. _What harm would come to me?_ She thought spitefully. _This is basically a prison._ She looked outside the window, which was on the thirtieth floor. _Would it kill someone if I dropped a single yen from this window? If a missile does land here by chance, won't I just get crushed by the falling building?_ Such dark thoughts passed through her head through boredom. She had asked her mother if she could stay with Miho; her mother rejected it, saying it would hinder Miho's training, whatever that meant.

She jumped on her bed and turned on the TV. It was just news about the war, and especially in Okinawa. _That's where Nishizumi Maho is,_ she thought as she flipped through the channels.

She caught wind of the Boko television show. She was elated, but it soon turned to disappointment when she realized what it was; Boko was portrayed as a JSDF soldier and the other characters were Chinese and North Koreans. Alice sighed and changed the channel once again. It was plain to her it was state propaganda; she was the star of the Selection University Senshadou team after all. It might trick other children, but it would not work on her. For a second Alice hoped Miho would not get deceived, but then remembered Miho was extremely smart and would not fall for a shallow trick such as the ones on screen.

"Alice-ojousama?" Alice turned to see a butler standing by the doorway.

"What?" Alice's voice clearly showed contempt for the man in front of her.

"There's someone here to visit you," He answered.

Alice jumped up. _It's Miho!_ She thought hopefully. However, she became crestfallen when it wasn't Miho; It turned out to be a boy, around the age of sixteen. His light brown hair was covered by a black beret, and medals glittered brightly from his black military uniform.

"Shimada Alice, what an honor to meet you," The boy bowed and took Alice's hand, and gently kissed it.

Alice's face turned bright red and she pulled her hand away. "Wha-what do you want?" She demanded, jumping back on her head.

"I was already here when I heard you were staying here. I'm sorry to bother you at such a late hour, were you busy?" The boy asked back.

Alice shook her head. " No, I'm extremely bored, and I'm all alone here. My mother dumped me here and disappeared. Nobody visits me. You're the first one," She said sadly.

"At the least you have family that cares for you. I'm just a bastard nobody cares about." The boy sat down on the bed.

Alice turned the TV off. "What's that?" She asked.

The boy laughed. "It means my parents weren't married when I was born," He explained. "Because of that, I didn't have many friends. That's why I decided to dedicate my entire life to the nation and the emperor. I got rewarded for that, of course." He pointed to his chest. Alice noticed the golden Chrysanthemum medal pinned on his chest.

"His majesty the Emperor himself presented this seal to me, and I was put in charge of his personal regiment." The boy explained.

Alice stared at him, mouth open. "What are you-"

The boy smiled. "I have nothing to live for except to protect the nation," He stated proudly.

 _What is he saying?_ Alice thought. _Who is he?_

The boy picked up a Boko from off the floor. "You're a fan of these as well? I have a few myself," He chuckled.

Alice nodded, also smiling. "Don't you have parents yourself? What are they doing?" She asked.

"My dad is a politician, an important one mind you. He's the one that wanted to join the war all the way back in 2022. He cheated with my mom on his first wife, who kicked him out. She was the head of an important family, so she couldn't bear to stay with a cheater," The boy answered. "He's also the one that steered me into the life in the military."

"That's horrible…" Alice whispered.

The boy shrugged. "It sucks, but I don't really mind anyways. If I go into the fight, to keep children like you away from war, I'm happy to," He swept his hair through Alice's hair.

Alice blushed and leaned on the boy. "Don't say that…" She muttered.

The boy placed his hand on Alice's shoulder. "I'm just like you, a genius of this age. But unlike you, I'm not a public figure, I just live in the shadows, a nobody," He sighed.

"Does..that bother you?" Alice inquired.

The boy shrugged. "Nope, I'd rather be left alone," He stared into Alice. Alice stared back into the boy's eyes, captivated. His smile was real, though his eyes were like cold steel. She didn't understand why he had come here; was it to see her? But she was only twelve-and he was much older! She trembled as she thought what this boy would do to her. "Um.." She fidgeted.

"Yes?" The boy answered expectantly.

"Do, you love anybody?" She asked tentatively.

The boy whistled. "I did not expect that. No, my life has been a series of disappointments. You?" He cocked his head to the left.

"Um," Alice stared at the boy's chest. "You're the first boy i've really talked to."

"A sheltered girl, huh. I wonder if they were too…" The boy hummed.

"Who?" Alice asked.

"Oh, distant family." The boy replied quickly.

Alice looked away. "Sorry for asking a weird question. I don't know how to talk to boys.." She whimpered.

The boy laughed. "Well, this is a good start, I suppose. How does it feel?" He peered into Alice, his gaze staring right into Alice's soul.

"Nice, I guess.." Alice answered hesitantly. _Is this how all boys talk?_ She screamed in her mind. _It's like he's interrogating me! Seriously, what is with him? I wish he would go away!_ Her mind froze at that thought. _No, maybe not. He is company, and company is what I need right now. And besides..._ Alice's mouth quivered, and a small whine came out. The boy had to stifle a laugh, and Alice glared at him with a piercing glare.

"Is it bedtime?" The boy asked sarcastically.

Alice turned away. "I'm a college student. I've had to stay up later to study," She retorted.

The boy smirked at her. "So I'm dealing with a grown-up woman, am I?" He jeered, and Alice's scowl deepened. "Sorry, sorry." He backed off. "You're a serious one aren't you." He commented. Alice turned away.

"Am I a woman?" She wondered out loud, accidentally.

The boy grinned. "Yes, you are," He jested.

"Then, then am I your type of woman?" She quietly breathed out. That took the boy back. His eyes widened and he looked away, and Alice put her head in between her hands, her head red and eyes tearing up. _I can't believe I said that! My life is ruined!_ Her mind went wild.

"Don't worry, I'm sure there's someone out there that would be head over heels for you," Alice looked up to see the boy winking at her. She blushed even more and covered her head with a pillow.

"I, I was just joking.." Alice murmured.

"Oh, well, that's too bad," The boy shrugged his shoulders. He looked at his watch. "Oh no, almost time." He said. "Not enough time to spend with you!" He laughed. Alice shoved the pillow in his face. "Stop, I'm sorry!" He sputtered out.

"Kaito-sama, what are you doing? We're going to be late!" A woman ran through the door. She stared at the two on the bed, a look of confusion etched on her face. "Uh, Kaito-sama? What are you doing?"

The boy jumped off the bed. "I'm just visiting a lonely maiden, that's all," He winked at Alice, who blushed once again. "Oh, you know Nishizumi Miho, right?" He asked. Alice nodded.

The boy grinned. "Well then, tell her this: The Nishizumi family is protected by God and the Emperor, and will forge the path to victory," He stated.

The woman behind him rolled his eyes."Whatever, just take this heavy thing," The woman gave the boy a guntō.

Alice's eyes widened. "You're going to take that thing into battle?" She questioned.

"The sword is the vessel of the Yamato spirit," The boy replied. He turned around and started to walk out the door, following the woman.

"Wait!" Alice shouted. The boy turned back.

Alice ran up to him and gave him a Boko, to which the boy took with a slightly surprised look. She then got on her toes and kissed him on the cheek. "Don't die," She whispered.

"Of course." The boy answered. He waved and left the room, leaving Alice again.

 _I haven't asked him his name,_ Alice thought as the boy and the woman's voices faded away, and she felt sadness and loneliness fill her heart once again.

 **Chi-ha-Tan Academy Carrier**

Nishi set down her paintbrush down, completing the naming of the new infantry battalion Chi-ha-Tan was forced to raise.

"Commander Nishi! What is the name you bestowed upon our new attack force?" Fukuda pounced on Nishi.

"I got the perfect name: Tokubetsu Totsugeki Tai! It is the embodiment of our Chi-ha-Tan spirit!" Nishi displayed the banner proudly.

A girl with braided hair jumped up. "Commander! That is upholding our great traditions!" She shouted.

"Thank you, Tamada! We will lead the charge in defeating the enemy!" Nishi shouted.

A girl got out a camera and snapped a picture of Nishi and the banner. "This will make a great anniversary photo!" She exclaimed.

"Teramoto, I wasn't ready! Take another one!" Nishi flustered, her face turning bright red.

Teramoto laughed. "This will go down in Chi-ha-Tan history!" She bellowed.

"Nooooo.." Nishi moaned.

"Commander!" A girl ran in, breathing heavily.

Nishi looked up. "What's wrong, Hamada?" She asked.

Hamada saluted. "The JSDF has successfully delivered the latest batch of tanks for our Senshadou team!" She reported.

Nishi jumped up. "Great job, Hamada!"

"And the JSDF has converted three dozen assault rifles to be able to fire paintballs instead of the regular bullets, so now realistic combat training will be possible!" Hamada added.

"Nice! Today is a great day! We must celebrate!" Nishi shouted, and the rest of the group shouted in unison.

 **A Transport Airplane, somewhere over the Pacific, 1:54 A.M. June 8th**

"So, what was with that girl?" The woman asked, lighting up a cigarette.

The boy laughed. "What did I say earlier? Just a maiden stuck in a castle." He replied.

The woman rolled her eyes. "Could you not say things that could be taken out of context. We are the elite of the military after all," She pointed to the crysthanamum seal on her shoulder. There were nearly two hundred of these soldiers, packed into the transport plane. She glared at the boy. "Are you a lolicon?" She demanded.

The boy thought for a minute. "Um, well, oh this is a good bento!" He suddenly changed the subject.

"Kaito-sama!" The woman shouted. "Stop changing the subject! Just admit it, you like flipping the skirts of little girls."

Kaito's eyes twitched, and his face turned red. "What the hell is that statement? Take that back!" He shouted back.

The woman crossed her arms. "You need psychological help, Kaito-sama!" She scoffed.

Kaito groaned in frustration. "No, no. You need mental help," He said through gritted teeth.

"Kaito-sama. Seriously though. Why did you do that."

"Is there a problem? She seemed lonely, so I just had a conversation with her!" Kaito exclaimed, and a loud audible groan came out of the woman. "She seemed like an interesting person, that's all. She is the captain of the Selection University Senshadou team. If Nishizumi Maho's anything like her, it'll be an interesting time serving with her," He answered.

"Nishizumi Maho?" The woman asked.

Kaito nodded. "Yes. I'm excited to meet her. She's been showered by the public as a prodigy. I wonder how much she'll last long under fire," He grinned mischievously.

The woman sighed. "You are a sadist," She complained. "And she's been under fire longer than you have. So I'm wondering how long you'll last." She jested and poked him in the face, to which he pouted and turned his face away.

"We'll be landing in a fifteen minutes. Get ready." The pilot's voice crackled throughout the plane.

"C'mon. Let's get ready," kaito's expression instantly turned into a cold, unemotional state.

 _How does this person do that?_ The woman wondered to herself as the plane glided downwards.

 **Improvised Airstrip, Ogimi, Okinawa, 2:18 A.M.**

Hiroi and Arai stood by the airstrip, waiting for the plane to land.

"So, what were you doing with Nishizumi?" Arai questioned, turning towards Hiroi.

"Just drinking and talking, that's all." He answered quickly.

"Just don't let it go any farther than that. I don't want any problems." Arai ordered.

"Yes, ma'am." Hiroi replied.

…..

"So, who's the special guest?" He asked a bit later.

"The new batch will be the Imperial guards of the Emperor himself. They're an elite regiment trained in all kinds of warfare, and this will be their debut in combat," Arai explained as a plane descended towards them.

The plane groaned to a halt, and the doors opened. A boy and a woman stepped out and saluted Arai and Hiroi. They both saluted back at the pair.

Airai looked down at the boy. "Long time no see, Nishizumi Kaito-kun,"

* * *

 **Terms:**

 **Crysthanamum: A type of flower, it is also the official seal of the Emperor of Japan.**

 **Guntō: A military sword produced and used by the IJA and IJN during WWII**

 **Yamato Spirit: Basically means the Spiritual and Cultural values of the Japanese people.**

 **Tokubetsu Totsugeki Tai: Special Attack Force, also known as the Kamikaze. They were suicide planes used by Japan in the last two years of the war, and they were named after the storms that destroyed the Mongol fleets that invaded japan.**


	10. The Strange Commander

**Chapter nine: The Strange Commander**

 **Nerome, Ogimi, Okinawa 7:20 A.M.**

Maho's eyes fluttered open, and her head pounded. _What happened?_ She thought. _I was drinking with Hiroi and-_ Her eyes went wide and her face turned red. _Oh no, what happened? Please don't tell me something happened._ She dressed into her uniform, shaking while doing so.

"Commander, you're awake?" Maho stopped at the voice of Erika coming from the doorway.

"Erika, did anything happen last night?" She asked.

Erika shook her head. "No. Don't worry. I stopped that man before he could do anything." She reported confidently. Maho got her Panzer Jacket and walked out of the barracks, with Erika following her.

Hiroi was smoking a cigarette when Maho bumped into him.

"Good morning." Maho quickly saluted.

Hiroi saluted back. "Mornin'. I hope you feel well after last night,"

Maho's cheeks turned slightly red. "I feel fine," She murmured.

"Oh, good. You're going to be going on a mission briefing in an hour," Hiroi told her.

Maho nodded. "Got it,"

 **An hour later**

Arai stood at the front of the table, staring down at the map. Maho and Erika stood to the right of her, while a boy and a woman standing to her left. Other soldiers surrounded the table.

"Alright, listen up soldiers. Here's the mission: The North Koreans have set up a mortar position on top of that mountain," Arai pointed to a mountain on the map. "There's heavy anti-air weapons so using helicopters or fighters will be tough. Maho, your heavy tanks won't work well in the forests, so you'll have to use your lighter tanks. Got it?"

Maho nodded. "Yes ma'am,"

"This operation will be led by Major Kaito," Arai looked at the boy.

"But he's young! Look at him!" Erika interjected.

Kaito smirked. "Watch your mouth, woman. I am an elite who the Emperor found worthy," He boasted. "I can have you executed and nobody would bat an eye." He began to unsheathe his Guntō.

Erika panicked, and jumped back. "What is wrong with you?" She screamed.

"It's a joke. Go on, Colonel Arai," Kaito's expression turned stern once again and sheathed his weapon.

Arai looked at him with confusion and annoyance, and continued talking. "Alright, so anyways, third squadron, move over to the right flank-" She rambled as Kaito looked at Erika and smiled, to which she just scowled even more.

…..

After the meeting was over, Erika stormed out of the building, followed by Maho. "What was with that kid? That idiot's going to lead the attack? We're all going to die!" She shouted.

"Excuse me," A woman tapped Erika's shoulder.

"What is it?" Erika whirled around, and was face-to-face with a woman, with braided black hair and dark glasses.

"I'm sorry for Kaito-sama's previous behavior," She bowed, "As you can probably tell, he's a bit of an eccentric person." She explained, "And a lolicon." She hissed under her breath.

"What?" Erika raised an eyebrow.

The woman straightened her back. "I'm Vice-commander Tanya, by the way,"

"Vice-commander Erika," Erika introduced. They shook hands.

Tanya turned to Maho. "Nice to meet you, commander Maho," She said.

"Strange group you have," Maho noted.

Tanya nodded. "Yes, we are, to put it bluntly, made up of bizarre individuals. We are the elites after all," She wholeheartedly agreed: Because of unfortunate events, social awkwardness, and their inability to conform to society, most of the regiment were cast out of a normal life. However, because of their abilities, they were chosen to become the Emperor's elite regiment. They were out of their minds and prodigies at the same time.

"Commander Maho," A male saluted. He was short and skinny, and had short, black wavy hair.

Maho noticed the chrysanthemum seal and saluted back. "Yes, sir?" She asked.

"I have a sister who is on the Senshadou team, and I've been all over looking for her," The man said.

Maho was surprised. "Who's your sister? I could take up to her," She answered.

The man smiled. "Thanks a lot. My sister is Koume. Akaboshi Koume," He informed.

Erika and Tanya glanced at Maho; Her face was frozen in surprise. But she closed her eyes and bowed deeply towards the brother. "I am sorry to inform you, but Akaboshi Koume was killed, no, murdered by those cowards! It was my fault for not stopping her and letting her die! I am unable to express how sorry I am," Tears rolled down her face.

The brother's face darkened, but kept up a smile. "No, don't say that. You've done everything you could, and you couldn't prevent it. Koume was happy to serve under you, as well as Erika-san as well. You two were her best friends. I'm glad to see you two in person, to see the wonderful people she was with," He told Maho and Erika. "She also talked about your younger sister as well. She was a dear friend for Koume, as is all of you. I thank you from all my heart, for being with her till the end." He bowed himself.

Maho looked up, tears still streaming down. "Thank you," She wiped her eyes.

Kaito appeared from the brother's back. "Naoki, get ready for the fight,"

Naoki saluted. "Yes, sir,"

Erika glared at Kaito. "He just learned that his sister died. Family is important, you know!" She shouted at Kaito.

Kaito narrowed his eyes at Maho. "You know what, you're right. Mourn if you want, but be prepared when we're heading out. Tanya, let's go," Kaito and Tanya turned around and walked towards their barracks. Naoki smiled and turned around and left as well.

"What's with him?" Erika hissed.

"Erika, calm down. He probably doesn't mean it," Maho said.

"Okay, commander," Erika just rolled her eyes.

 **Two hours later**

The Kuromorimine and the Emperor's regiment suited up and got into their armored vehicles; Their Panzer II's, III's and IV's were upgraded, still lightly armored compared to the MBTs but still able to combat infantry and traverse through heavy terrain. Several Type 87 recon vehicles and komatsu lightly armored vehicles were being manned by the Emperor's regiment. There were also scores of infantry preparing for the attack.

Maho reviewed the tanks, her own Panzer IV "Skorpion" at the forefront. "Alright, everyone, Panzer Vor!" She shouted, and fifteen Panzers roared to life and they ascended the mountain road.

"Troops, move out." Kaito relayed his own orders.

Erika opened up the hatch and yawned outside of her Panzer III "Spinne" and turned to see kaito leaning on the turret, sharpening his Guntō. "What do you want?" She shouted.

Kaito looked up. "Hm? I'm just hanging out," He replied.

Erika scowled at him. "Seriously, I am so done with you. You're crazy and controlling. Stop pestering everyone and act normal for once," She growled.

Kaito looked at her with a perplexed expression, then burst into laughter.

"What?" Erika was taken back by this.

"Erika, Erika, Erika. You really need to control your emotions. You're a smart person, but that scowl is chasing everybody away," Kaito snickered. Erika looked bewildered., and he continued. "Look, you have great looks; people will fight each other for you, but your personality is really bad. You get your emotions get the better of you. You did that in Senshadou, and you better not let that happen on the battlefield. That can cost not only your own life, but the lives of your friends as well,"

He pointed the blade at Erika. "I'm not saying you're a bad person; far from it. I think you're acting on goodwill. I know that. It's your cold image that pushes people away. I know you're a good person, and I find you attractive, to be honest." He went back to sharpening his guntō.

Erika slunk down into her seat, her face burning hot. _Wha-wha-what what's with him? He called me attractive? Oh, god, what's with him, seriously?_ She covered her face with her hands.

"Vice-commander? Something wrong?" Kanagawa asked. Erika quickly shook her head. She peeked her head outside once again; Kaito was still there, now reading a book.

 _How can he be doing something like that in this situation so nonchalantly?_ Erika thought. "What book is that?" she asked.

Kaito looked up. "Achtung-Panzer by Heinz Guderian. It's a good read,"

"I've always wanted to read that."

"You can read it when we get back, if you want. This is the fifth time I've read it anyways."

Erika smiled. "Thanks!" She said.

"See, that's what I want to see. You gotta smile more. It makes you look more beautiful." Kaito winked at her. She scowled and disappeared from the hatch, her face red once again.

…..

Maho was checking the map, looking for pathways to attack the base, when an armored car rolled up next to her.

"Hey!" The woman in the roof-hatch waved at Maho.

Maho raised her gaze from the map. Her jaw dropped when she realized who it was. "You're one of the commanders from Selection University!" She shouted.

The woman grinned. "It's Megumi. The rest of the Bermuda trio is with me. Hey, Rumi, Azumi. Say hey to commander Nishizumi," She said.

"Hello." Azumi shouted from the driver's seat.

Rumi waved from the side window with a grin on her face.

"We were placed into the Emperor's regiment, for our skills in Senshadou. We had to leave Commander Alice behind, which is sad," Megumi said.

Maho nodded. "Nice to have you here." She replied.

Megumi gave her a thumbs-up. "You can count on it!" She exclaimed.

….

The road split into two different paths, one going down and one ascending up. Maho raised her hand, and the Panzer column stopped. Erika's Panzer drove right next to Maho.

"Commander Kaito, how should we do this?" Maho asked.

Kaito jumped across Erika's turret and landed right next to Maho. He stared at the map for a few seconds. "Let's see.. We should obviously split our forces in two. Maho, you take the Bermuda platoon and nine Panzers, and flank the rear by going down. I'll take the rest and storm the front," He poked Erika, "You're going to be my command tank." He informed.

Erika sighed. "Yes, commander," She said.

Kaito gave the map back to Maho. "Great. Good luck and move out,"

…...

Maho's section roared down the forest path, looking up above to see her main objective; a huge building complex on top of a large hill. The path swirls down and then up again, behind the complex. She kept her eye out for any obstacle that would attempt to stop them. Maybe the North Koreans thought they would not come through here.

There was a huge bend in the road, which ascended left. Maho's Panzer jerked to the left and advanced. She looked up and saw several sandbags piling up on each other, with machine gun barrels peeking out. "Enemy contact!" She shouted into her radio as bullets ricocheted off her tank. She closed the hatch of the tank for protection.

North Korean troops aimed their guns at the Japanese troops below, and began firing. Several anti-tank weapons were brought out to deal with the oncoming Panzers.

"Fire!" Maho shouted. The Panzer IV fired a shell into the sandbags, blowing a hole in the defense.

"Attack!" Megumi fired the machine gun at the North Koreans, killing several of them.

Megumi grabbed a portable radio. "Infantry dismount. Support the attack!" She shouted.

The infantry dismounted and began fanning out into the forest, throwing their firepower against the thin defense. The combined arms pushed the North Koreans back, retreating back to a stronger defensive position.

"Move forward!" Maho ordered. The tanks trudged forwards and chased the North Koreans.

…...

Meanwhile the other section ran into North Korean troops as well. Erika maneuvered her Panzer to the edge of the forest. "Fire!" She shouted, and the Panzer took out a North Korean anti-tank team.

Kaito jumped off the Panzer and took out his Guntō. "Men, advance!" He ordered. Tanya aimed her assault rifle and shot down a pair of North Korean soldiers.

"Erika, could you ram through the barbed wire?" Kaito asked.

"Sure." Erika nudged kanagawa, who nodded. She drove the Panzer through the barbed wire and tore a hole in the sandbags, scattering the North Koreans away.

Explosions began rocking the road, forcing the Japanese to take cover.

"They're using their mortars on us!" Tanya shouted.

"I know! We've gotta reach the top fast," Kaito replied. "Alright soldiers! Let's hurry up and get to the top!" He shouted. The Japanese surged forwards, overwhelming the North Koreans. They try to run, but are gunned down from behind.

"Keep on moving!" Kaito ordered. "We're almost there!"

* * *

 **Translations:**

" **Skorpion"-"Scorpion"**

" **Spinne"-"Spider"**


	11. A Family Curse

**Chapter ten: A family curse**

"We're right outside the compound," Kaito said as he took cover behind an armored car. "Erika, focus fire at the roadblock." The ensuing explosion signified the enemy position had been dealt with. "All units, advance!" He waved his guntō in the air.

Tanya fired a couple rounds next to him. "Don't get yourself killed," She said.

"Don't worry, you'll protect me, won't you?" Kaito winked before dashing out into the open. Tanya rolled her eyes before following him.

…..

"We're taking heavy fire!" Kanagawa shouted as the tank was covered with the non-stop pinging of ricocheting bullets.

"Move this thing back to the treeline!" Erika shouted. The Panzer III moved backwards to the trees. "The enemies are setting up a defensive line by the concrete blocks!" She cursed as she manned the coaxial machine gun and fired at the dozen or so North Korean soldiers by the concrete. The North Koreans scattered, and four of them were shot down. The cannon fired a shot at the concrete, blowing it to pieces. "Advance!" she ordered. The Panzer gunned forward, almost running a pair of North Koreans over.

The Panzer III stopped to fire another shot at the main building complex. Erika opened up the hatch and looked out, only for a bullet to hit right next to her. She winced and ducked down. "There's snipers in the trees!" She shouted at Kaito.

"Alright, Tanya. Take them out." He ordered. Tanya aimed her rifle and popped off a few shots at the surrounding trees. Five North Korean snipers were shot down from the trees, and the rest of the North Koreans fell back into the complex.

"Alright, troops. The enemy has fallen back into their final base. We're going to storm them from the front and flanks. There are trench systems and foxholes in front of us, so be careful of any surprises. Anzai and Nishi, you flank from the right. Tanya, you take the left. I'll go through the front. Erika, you and the rest will guard the entrances, to stop any enemies from going in or out," Kaito ordered.

…..

The group flanking from the right slowly stalked up to the door.

The woman reloaded her assault rifle. "Lasagna, toss a grenade in there, will you?" She waved her hand over to the man.

The man scratched his moustache. "Sure," He grabbed a grenade from his belt and the woman cracked the door open.

Lasagna rolled the grenade in and slammed the door shut. Within a few seconds there was a deafening boom.

"Go go go!" The woman opened the door as the troops stormed in, rifles aimed. The room was empty, and the soldiers moved into the hallway, where they were lit up by gunfire.

"Shit, Nishi! They got us good, ya know!" Lasagna shouted.

Nishi fired her Type 20 assault rifle at the end of the hallway. "Don't stand there and fire back!" She ordered. Her Type 20 clicked, signifying the gun was empty. She slid a new magazine and resumed shooting. Bullets flew across the hallway, spraying paint chips and brick fragments everywhere. She ducked as bullets landed at the spot where her head was just a few seconds ago. "Shit!" She hissed. "Lasagna! Cover me!" She grabbed a grenade and hurled it to the other end of the hall. The entire building shook from the explosion. As the dust settled Nishi attached a bayonet to her rifle. "Everyone follow me!" She ordered as she left her hiding spot and charged the blown out position, soon followed by everyone else.

…...

Tanya and her team had cleaned out most of the east-wing of the building complex. Nearly twenty North Koreans lay in their own pool of blood. She crept up to a door. Suddenly the door opened and a soldier came jumping out.

Tanya grabbed him and slit his throat with a knife she held. Another door opened and a soldier with an AK47 opened up on her. Several bullets hit the dead body Tanya used as a shield. She charged the soldier, pushing the dead body at the soldier. He stumbled back, the weight of his dead comrade pushing him down. Tanya slipped past him and placed the barrel of a pistol at the back of his head. She fired, and the man flew forwards, his blood spraying onto the other body. Both bodies slumped to the floor, blood pouring out of their wounds. Tanya crashed into the room and found it empty. She heard the noises of combat from the other side of the complex: the popping of assault rifles, the rattling of machine guns and boom of grenades. _Everyone is fighting,_ she thought. "Alright, advance!"

….

Kaito knelt behind a chair as a machine gun, covered by tables and chairs, fired away at him and his group. "Earl Grey!" He shouted at a woman taking cover behind some tables. "Provide some covering fire! I'll go him with the stairs!" Earl grey nodded, and swiftly rose up and emptied her magazine. The North Korean ducked as bullets whizzed by him.

Kaito took the chance and bolted to the stairwell. He leapt up and was face to face with a North Korean. He quickly slashed the North Korean with his guntō and ran by. He wondered why every enemy he met was bewildered by the sword Kaito wielded. _Was it so rare to see a sword at this day and age?_ He sliced another North Korean down as he ran through the hallway. _People don't respect culture anymore these days._ He sighed in disappointment as three North Koreans charged him. He swiped his Guntō and all three were cut in half, blood spraying everywhere. They fell down, and Kaito continued to run down the corridor.

He ran through the doorway at the end of the hall and was now at a staircase. North Korean soldiers were running down the stairs from the upper floors. Kaito jumped down the stairs, pushing nearly six North Koreans down with him. He readjusted his guntō and skewered the North Koreans like a shish-kebab. The North Koreans landed on the floor with a loud, sickening _thud,_ and groaned with pain. Kaito twisted his guntō, and the North Koreans' twitching stopped.

Kaito turned a corner and found himself at the rear of the machine gun position, still firing down at his subordinates. He slashed the machine gunner's neck, and the firing stopped. He raised his guntō in the air, signifying he was on the other side.

…...

"Commander, the enemy is retreating!" A Panzer commander reported to Maho.

"Good, we'll keep chasing them down," Maho replied, and Panzer IV moved up the hill, firing at the backs of the North Koreans.

When her Panzer IV reached the top, they were met with a small trench system protecting the rear of the building. Nearly three dozen North Koreans were armed and ready for a final stand. Japanese tanks and infantry swarm over the hill, covering the entire clearing with bullets.

"Destroy the mortar position!" Maho shouted.

Megumi drove up next to her. "This is going well, isn't it?" She whistled, shooting her machine gun.

Maho nodded. "This building is their last hiding spot," Her Panzer IV fired at a trench, killing six and wounding more. The North Korean mortar team attempted to escape, but were gunned down by Megumi. A few North Koreans attempted to fall back inside the building, but the door smashed open and Kaito jabbed his guntō through their necks.

"Nishizumi! Bermuda! Great job breaking through the defenses!" He shouted. "We've broken through!" The North Koreans began to scatter, throwing their weapons down and raising their hands up to the Japanese.

Kaito jumped over the trenches and met up with Maho and Megumi. "You made it," He said.

Maho smiled. "What did you think would have happened?"

Kaito laughed. "Nothing bad, honestly," They heard several rattling sounds, and shouting coming from the front.

"What the hell's going on?" Kaito demanded.

…..

Erika sat in her Panzer, looking bored. She was listening to the incessant banging coming from the inside of the building, and was tired of it. She groaned. "Can't we just get this over with?" She demanded.

Kanagawa looked up. "It'll be over soon, right?" She asked.

"Yeah, then I'll have some rest," Erika answered. There was a boom and the Panzer shook violently. "What the hell?" She screamed. She looked out, and saw dozens of North Koreans, emerging from the forest, attacking the vanguard force. "Fire back! Fire back!" She ordered.

Japanese troops are falling back, taking cover behind tanks and destroyed North Korean defensive positions. A North Korean fired an anti-tank missile at Erika's Panzer. The missile struck right in the middle, and the Panzer began to smoke.

"Damn, they got us, vice-commander!" Kanagawa shouted.

"Everybody get out now!" Erika got out of the Panzer hatch and dragged a classmate out. Several more hatches popped open and the rest of the crew crawled out, all under enemy fire.

Erika grabbed a pistol for herself. "Take cover!" She yelled. She and her crew members quickly jumped behind the Panzer VI. "Crap crap crap." She muttered. She loaded her pistol and peeked around the Panzer.

North Korean troops were quickly advancing upon them. Erika fired her pistol at them, killing one and injuring another.

Kanagawa gripped her own pistol tightly in fear. "What now?" She whimpered.

Erika looked down at her. "I don't know. We just have to survive," She said through gritted teeth. She peeked out again to see a North Korean barreling towards her. She fired her pistol but not a single bullet hit him. He slammed the butt of his rifle in Erika's gut. She flew backwards. She slammed into the ground, and looked up to see the North Korean towering over her, the barrel of the rifle pointed at Erika's face. He grinned as his eye aligned with the sight.

The guntō blade sliced through the man's eye; he stumbled back and shrieked in pain.

Kaito stood there menacingly in front of Erika, narrowing his gleaming eyes. "Don't you dare touch her," He snarled. He stomped his foot against the man's arm, and he howled in agony. Kaito impaled the man, and when he pulled his guntō out blood squirted out like a fountain. He turned around and walked back to Erika. "Are you ok?" He asked concerningly.

"I don't think so. He got me pretty hard." Erika muttered, and attempted to stand up, but pain shot through her gut, and she grimaced. "Ow ow, ow.." She muttered.

Kaito rushed over. "Oh god!." He stammered. The gunfire stopped, as more Japanese soldiers began to pour out, killing the North Korean counterattack.

Tanya ran up to Kaito. "A medic will be here in a second," She said, to Kaito's relief.

"You'll be fine." Kaito told Erika, who smiled despite the sweat pouring down her face.

"Thanks.." She whispered. Two medics ran up to her and placed her in a stretcher and put her in a helicopter.

 **One hour later, Nerome, Ogimi, Okinawa**

Kaito and Tanya milled outside the temporary hospital, waiting for the report.

Maho exited through the door and looked at Kaito. "Good news. Erika hadn't sustained any long-lasting injuries so it'll only take a few weeks to heal. But since she's not able to stand for the time being she'll be in a wheelchair," She informed them.

Kaito sighed with relief. "Thank god.." He whispered.

"I didn't know Kaito-sama became so attached to somebody besides me," Tanya muttered from behind Kaito, who turned red.

"I just wanted to give her that book!" Kaito stuttered. The door swung open and Erika, sitting in a wheelchair, was being pushed by Megumi.

Tanya smirked, and leaned closer. "How about you give it to her now?" She nudged Kaito.

Erika turned to him. "What?" She asked.

Kaito turned a brighter shade of red. "La-later," He faltered.

Erika turned red as well. "What?" She asked again, now in a embarrassed tone.

"Excuse me, excuse me! I am Higashino Kazuyo from NHK, reporting on the current situation. May I interview you all?" A woman literally appeared out from nowhere, jumping in front of the group. Maho looked a bit perplexed, but kept her cool. Kaito quickly turned from his face from an embarrassed red, to a steel, unemotional gaze.

Maho nodded. "Sure, why not,"

 **Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, Tokyo**

Alice sat, staring at the TV. She groaned in frustration and loneliness. It was only just a day since the boy was with her, but she was missing him already. Every time she thought of him, her heart started racing furiously. She grabbed her Boko and started rocking. _Please, please God. Let him live so he can visit me again._ She thought. _He was so sweet to me. I just want to see him again._ There was a knock at the door.

"Alice! It's me!" Miho's voice rang out.

Alice ran straight for the door. She opened the door and embraced Miho tightly. "Miho," She whispered.

Miho hugged her back. "Hi, Alice. I brought some friends if you don't mind,"

Saori and Yukari popped from behind. "Hi!" They both said.

….

All of them sat in the room, eating snacks with the TV on.

"Alice, things must have been hard for you," Miho patted Alice's head.

"Oh, don't worry. When your alone for a long time it doesn't matter," Alice replied solemnly.

Saori stared at her. "Wow, that's really dark. Are you sure you're fine?" She inquired.

Alice glared at her, and tugged at Miho. "I'm fine," She answered sternly. "Except…" She trailed off.

"Except?" Yukari begged for more.

"A boy visited me last night," Alice replied, her face red. Miho, Yukari and Saori gaped at her.

"A boy?" Miho asked incredulously.

"Was he handsome?" Saori jumped up and demanded.

"That's interesting," Yukari stated.

Alice looked down. "He was good-looking, and he was really nice towards me. I think, I think I like him," That revelation shocked the girls.

"Wow, tell me about it!" Saori jumped up and down.

"So, who was he?" Yukari asked.

Alice gazed right at Yukari. "Well, I didn't get his name. But he was a fan of Boko," She answered tentatively.

Miho smiled. "Well, if you meet him again, you should get his name so you guys can keep in contact," She said.

Alice beamed. "You're right!" She gleefully exclaimed.

" _And here I am in Okinawa, currently speaking with Nishizumi Maho and Itsumi Erika from the Kuromorimine Senshadou team, who just came back from a mission,_ " The TV blared.

Miho quickly turned her head. "Oneesan," She whispered. Maho and Erika's face flickered on the TV.

" _You've been here for two days now?_ " The reporter started asking questions.

Maho nodded. " _This is my second day_." She said.

" _So, how does it to be in a live-fire combat situation?_ " The reporter asked.

Maho thought for a bit. " _It certainly is stressful, more so than Senshadou. The lives of my teammates depend on my orders, and any loss of friends is extremely devastating. If I hesitate even for a moment, the consequences are severe,_ " She sighed.

" _So, does that mean you lost a friend?_ " The reporter blatantly asked.

Erika scowled in the background, but Maho remained unchanged.

" _Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to.._ " The reporter tried to backtrack but Maho raised her hand.

" _No, it's fine,_ " She replied quickly, but Miho could tell she was beginning to be stressed. The reporter changed the subject.

" _You have a sister, don't you. Do you have anything to say to her at this moment?_ " The reporter asked.

Maho stared straight into the camera. " _Miho, as you can see, I'm fine. So don't worry about me and live on with your life,_ " She stated.

" _Thank you for the interview!_ " The reporter cheerfully said.

" _As if that was an 'interview',_ " Erika hissed, but the reporter failed to catch that. The camera turned to Kaito and Tanya.

Alice pointed her finger. "That's him!" She said, eyes wide. "He visited me!"

Saori's mouth hung open. "He's a model!" She shrieked. "You hit the jackpot!"

The reporter looked at Kaito excitedly. " _You are the commander of the Emperor's Regiment, Nishizumi Kaito, are you not?_ " She asked.

Kaito's eyes narrowed. " _Yes. I am Nishizumi Kaito, a distant member of the Nishizumi clan,_ " He stated. Maho and Erika's face showed an obviously surprised expression. Miho and Alice stared at each other.

"You have a brother?" Alice demanded.

Miho shook her head in confusion. "I'm pretty sure I don't! I swear!" She replied.

" _How does it feel to serve with your more famous half-sister?_ " The reporter poked the microphone in Kaito's face, who rolled his eyes.

" _I don't really mind. The men of the Nishizumi clan has always lived in the shadows, and I prefer to do the same. We have also served in every single war. It is part of our tradition and pride,_ " He stated.

The reporter prodded for more information. " _So your father is that politician?_ " She interrogated.

Kaito groaned. " _Yes, I am the son of that politician. I have a younger brother as well, and I joined so he has no obligation to. My father had me with my mother while he was married to the head of the Nishizumi clan. He was chased out, but he kept his surname and became rather infamous. I was supposed to be disowned from the family and not supposed to be in the public eye, but here I am,_ " He reluctantly answered.

" _So, is there anything you would like to say to the public?_ " The reporter's eyes gleamed.

" _No thank you,_ " Kaito replied quickly.

The reporter turned to the camera. " _Well, there you have it. These are the heroes of Okinawa. This is Higashino Kazuyo from NHK News,_ "

The room was quiet for a long time.

"Wow." Saori managed to sputter out.

Miho wiped her eyes. "I didn't know I had such family members…" She said.

Alice grabbed her hand. "I can't believe Miho's half-brother would come see me," She whispered. "I can't believe, I would come to like Miho's family…" She turned bright red and covered her head with her hands. "It's all so weird." She whimpered.

 **Nerome, Ogimi, Okinawa, 8:48 P.M.**

"Kampai!" The pub exploded with cheers. "Great job to all of you! You really did amazing out there! Free drinks for all tonight!" Arai chugged an entire bottle of beer.

Hiroi slid next to Maho. "Nice job today," He complimented her.

"Thanks, but it's all thanks to Kaito and Erika," Maho sipped a glass of beer. Erika glared over Maho's shoulder at Hiroi, who backed away.

….

"Commander, drink more!" A drunken Megumi hugged Kaito tightly.

"I don't think I should.." He started but Rumi interrupted him.

"Commander, don't be a child! Come on, just have one!" She slurred.

"One more!" Azumi pressed a beer bottle against Kaito's cheek.

He sighed, and took the bottle. "Fine, just one," A hand gripped Kaito's shoulder.

He looked up to see Tanya glaring down at him. "Just one, right?" She narrowed his eyes.

Kaito trembled. "Yes, ma'am," He answered meekly.

…..

"Erika, have some more." Maho urged Erika.

"No, commander, I can't," Erika refused vehemently.

"Come on, you are such a bore," Maho nudged her.

"Excuse me, commander Nishizumi?" Maho turned around. A blonde woman stood there, drinking tea.

"Earl Grey?" Maho looked shocked.

Earl Grey smiled. "Long time no see. You've been well, no?"

Maho stood up. "I'm fine. What about you? What did you do after graduating St. Gloriana?"

"I was invited as part of an international program and moved to England, where I trained with the Royal Armored Corps. I then came back to Japan and was recruited into the Emperor's Regiment," Earl Grey filled her cup with more tea. "I was delighted to be with a lot of friends. Look over there." She pointed, and Maho turned. A man and a woman were talking.

"My younger sister makes the best pasta in the world, ya know?" The man shouted.

"That's Anchovy's older brother, Rudolfo, or as we like to call him "Lasagna"," Earl Grey explained. "And the woman next to him is Nishi Kaori, Kinuyo's older sister. They're a peculiar pair." Earl Grey then looked over at where Kaito, Tanya and the Bermuda trio was drinking. "That Tanya over there, I forget who exactly, but she has a younger sister in Pravda." She said.

Maho smiled. "It was good meeting you, but I have to talk to Commander Kaito," She said.

"Good seeing you too." Earl Grey patted Maho on the back.

….

"I wish commander Alice was with us!" Rumi sang in a drunken voice.

"Commander Alice?" Kaito inquired.

Azumi grinned. "Our cute little Shimada Alice is probably lonely right now," She whined.

"Oh, Shimada Alice. That makes sense, all of you guys are from Selection. I visited her yesterday," Kaito said.

"You visited her?" Megumi leaned in closer.

Kaito nodded. "And she kissed me," He noted. All three girls almost dropped their bottles.

"Kissed?" Megumi demanded. "Did you do anything else? Did you guys-"

"Just in the cheek," Kaito added quickly.

"Bermuda trio, huddle up," Megumi announced, and they ran to a corner, leaving Kaito confused.

"Did you hear that?" Azumi hissed excitedly.

"The anti-social commander kissed commander Kaito!" Rumi whispered.

Megumi grinned. "You know what this means, right?" She asked.

Rumi and Azumi nodded. "We've got to hook them up together!" They replied enthusiastically.

Megumi nodded. "We're going to show them both the wonders of the adult world!" She exclaimed.

…..

Kaito wandered outside and sat down by the entrance stairway, looking at the star-speckled sky. He placed his bottle of cream soda down and sighed.

"Hey," Kaito turned around. Maho and Erika moved to Kaito.

"Were you planning to keep your connection with me a secret?" Maho asked.

Kaito shrugged. "I don't know; I preferred not to tell you, especially not like that," He replied. "You don't remember dad, do you?" He shot back.

Maho shook her head. "No, it's always mother who took care of us,"

"That's him alright. He barely qualifies as a decent human being. He cheated on Aunt Shiho and had me out of wedlock after all," Kaito picked up his glass and drank a quarter of the cream soda. "I was forced to join the military at his insistence. He's that kind of person." He looked right at Maho. "Do you remember when I said that the men of the Nishizumi clan served in every war Japan fought in the interview?"

Maho nodded, and he continued. "I wasn't exaggerating. Ever since Japan opened itself up to the west, A Nishizumi was always at the forefront of a war: The Boshin war, the Satsuma Rebellion, the first Sino-Japanese war, the Russo-Japanese war, the Boxer Rebellion, World War I, the second Sino-Japanese war and World War II to name just a few," He explained.

Maho cocked her head in confusion. "I didn't know that," She said.

"I doubt your mom will tell you anything of that sort," Kaito agreed. "There's also a second part to that."

"And what is that?" Maho urged Kaito on.

Kaito exhaled. "A Nishizumi is fated to die in battle. In every war, a Nishizumi has died serving the country," He said.

Maho's face turned white. "Fated to die?" She asked again.

Kaito nodded. "I have a younger brother, you see. I'm usually a sceptic, but I do firmly believe in what's called the Nishizumi curse. I don't want him to die, or you as well," He said.

"So you're going to sacrifice yourself so your brother, or even family that you never even met before won't have to die?" Maho gripped Erika's chair.

"You became the Nishizumi heir so Miho can choose her own Senshadou, didn't you. Family is a powerful thing. I've watched you from the TV screens and public media. I think I had a pretty strong connection with you even though I'm considered an outcast," Kaito slightly smiled. "I don't really have anything to live for anyways…" He glanced at Erika.

"You have your teammates that count on you. Don't think that way." Maho shook her head. "I'm glad I met you, and glad you're a Nishizumi." She turned and headed back into the pub. "Oh, and don't forget to give Erika her present." With that she went back inside, leaving Erika and Kaito alone.

"Hey, commander!" Erika shouted.

Erika gazed at Kaito, both of them now blushing. "Thanks for saving me," She whispered.

Kaito placed his hand on Erika's lap. "No problem. You're my subordinate, and I would do anything to protect you," He said, avoiding eye contact with Erika. "Oh, right!" He exclaimed. "Tanya!" He shouted. A book shot out of the pub and Kaito caught it with his left hand. "Here's Guderian's book, just as promised," He gave Erika the book.

"Thanks!" Erika beamed. Both of them stared at the sky, and before they realized it, their hands were gripped tightly together.


	12. Chosen by fate

**Chapter eleven: Chosen by fate**

 **Kuala Dungun Prison, Malaysia, June 9th**

The girl laid on her bed, counting off the days she was stuck in the prison. Her once smooth hair was now crumpled up, and her face was weighed down by depression and humiliation. She was once the captain of the Malaysian Tankery Team, a hero of Malaysia; Now she's been imprisoned for nearly sixty days. She looked down at her tattered prison garment. Her pride and joy was taken from her and brutally murdered in front of her eyes. She groaned and rolled over. She didn't care anymore. The Chinese should just put her out of her misery.

The prison door opened, and the girl looked up.

"Get up," The Chinese guard ordered, motioning with his rifle for her to stand up.

She did as she was told. The guard grabbed her arm and began to drag her.

"Where are you taking me?" The girl demanded.

The guard did not look at her. "Someone's here to see you. If you're lucky she'll be your ticket out of here," He growled. He led her upstairs and into a white room.

….

Sitting in the chair was a young woman, sipping green tea. She had long, silky hair and had a light complexion. She wore a People's Liberation Army uniform, with medals shining off the bright light. She placed her cup of tea down and looked up. "You are captain of the Malaysian Tankery Team, Minah binti Agung, are you not?" She asked slowly.

Minah glared at the woman. "You!" She shouted.

The guard slammed her on the ground. "How dare you speak to Lady Wu like that?" He screamed.

Wu raised her hand. "No need to be rough with her," She ordered. The guard bowed and stepped back.

"Now," Wu turned to Minah, who was boiling with anger; the one who killed her friends was in front of her.

"You bitch.." She spat out.

Wu raised her eyebrows. "Just as I thought. I had hope for you but you just reinforced the notion I got from the battlefield. You are too hasty in your decisions, in combat and in common sense," She sighed, "You're not worth my time."

She waved her hand; the guard grabbed Minah and began dragging her back to her cell.

"You fucking bitch! You'll pay for this!" Minah's screaming voice drifted away as Wu picked the cup of green tea back up.

There was a ringing, and Wu fished out her phone. "Hello? Oh, darling how are you?" She said sweetly. "Oh, you finally beat them? That must be wonderful."

 **Uruma, Okinawa**

"Yeah, it took a few days, but I got them." Mi-jing spoke on the phone as she picked her way through the rubble. "The fight was pretty hard, to be honest." She stopped by a dozen or so Japanese soldiers surrendered to the North Koreans. The North Koreans grabbed the surrendering soldiers and threw them down onto the ground, then began shooting them.

" _What is that noise?"_ Wu's voice demanded from the phone.

Mi-jing groaned. "Nothing," She answered. "How are things over there?" She asked.

" _Oh, wonderful. Even when the enemies are working together, they can't stop our advance. I wish I had it just as easy like you do,"_ Wu teased.

"It's not that easy," Mi-jing replied with an annoyed tone.

" _Oh, you're right, I'm sorry. But when this is all over we can be together again,"_ Wu sang.

Mi-jing rolled her eyes. "Could you please stop acting like we're married or something?" She asked.

" _Sorry, you're no fun. Well, bye then."_ The call ended and Mi-jing stared at the phone. She sighed and put the phone away. _She was always strange…_ She thought as she walked towards the temporary HQ. She saluted as she entered the abandoned city office.

"Ah, Ryuk! Good job securing this town." Ryang's booming voice rang out.

"Thank you, general. It was all too easy," Mi-jing quickly replied.

Ryang nodded. "Good. Then the next mission will be easy as well."

"Next mission?" Mi-jing asked.

Ryang nodded. "Yes. The enemy has pushed our offensive in Ogimi back and we have suffered heavy casualties. It seems our assumption of them was wrong," He somberly muttered.

Mi-jing shook her head. "It was only unfortunate it was the militias that met the enemy. If it was our regular troops, they would have crumbled immediately," She explained.

"Is that so? Well, it seems their Nishizumi was instrumental in their counteroffensive. How do you feel about that?" Ryang asked.

Mi-jing laughed. "They rely on greenhorns for their operation, which shows how professional they are. They're a paper tiger," She answered.

Ryang sat down and flipped through several papers. "Are you sure about that? Aren't you severely underestimating them?" He inquired.

Mi-jing shrugged her shoulders. "We overestimated the South, didn't we? It's just the same thing, really. Sir, I think the enemy is projecting themselves as strong, to mess with our nerves," She answered.

Ryang sighed. "Maybe you're right, I'm overthinking this. You'll get some rest before the final offensive." He told Mi-jing. "You need rest. Dismissed."

Mi-jing saluted. "Thank you, sir." Ryang saluted back.

She stepped back outside, and stared at the cloudy sky. Smoke from the battle was still lingering in the air. Bodies littered the rubble strewn streets. Burned out vehicles lined up, carcasses too burned to be recognized leaned out the hatches. She stared out into the stormy sea. The waves slammed against the pier, and the wind blew hard across the ocean.

Mi-jing picked up a stone and threw it at the ocean. The stone skipped over twenty times before it sank. She whistled in surprised. She began walking again, jumping over broken road blocks and going through abandoned houses.

She stopped and stared at a burned out building, charred black. The windows were all blown out, the stench was overwhelming. Only the walls were remaining, the entire inside burned up. Mi-jing rubbed her eyes, and when she looked up again, the scene had changed.

It was night, and the moon was out. Right in front of her was a burning hotel. People were fighting the fire, but it was useless. The hotel fell apart, flames falling on the firefighters. Mi-jing's heart raced; and she was overtaken with confusion and shock. She stumbled back and fell over. When her head hit the ground, the scene shifted back to reality.

Mi-jing was lying on the ground, in front of the burned out building, looking at the cloudy sky. Rain began to pour, drenching her.

"Commander?" Maeng peered down from above. "What are you doing?" She asked, "And why are you crying?"

Mi-jing felt her face; tears were streaming down. She smiled. "Who knows?" She replied.

 **St. Gloriana Girls High School**

"Come on, maggots? You call that running? My dead grandma ran faster when she was on sedatives!" The drill sergeant screamed at the jogging girls.

"When I heard an Englishman was coming, I didn't think it would turn out this way," Orange Pekoe panted.

"We don't even get enough teatime…" Assam complained.

"Where's Darjeeling sama?" Orange Pekoe asked. They both turned around and saw Darjeeling trailing behind the rest of the group, barely keeping up.

"This...is...unladylike…" Darjeeling wheezed.

"Get off your tea-drinking ass up, you fucking snail!" The drill sergeant shouted at Darjeeling, who winced.

The girls collapsed on the lawn, metaphorically dead after running the most laps any of them ran in their lifetime, while the drill sergeant watched on.

"All you ladies are weak! It seems you all were drinking the wrong tea this entire time!" He spat. "All except for Rosehip. All of you should learn from her, she's been running nonstop for-" He looked at his watch. "-Around two hours." He looked up, and the girls turned around.

Rosehip was running full speed, leaving a dust trail behind her. "Desuwaaaa!" She yelled as she ran past the drill sergeant.

"Keep it up, you'll get extra scones and tea!" He encouraged. He glared at the rest of the girls. "Now, until all of you get your royal behinds in shape, no more teatime for you. Now, excuse me. I need to light my fag," He turned around and took out a cigar. Orange Pekoe and Assam picked up Darjeeling, who pouted.

"What's with him? He is the least gentlemanly person I've ever met!" Darjeeling whimpered, "Comparing us to Rosehip, that's an insult!"

 **Ooarai Girls High School Carrier**

"Miporin? Miporin?" Saori waved her hand in front of Miho.

"Sorry. I've just been thinking.." Miho smiled.

"Thinking about that boy again?" Saori asked.

Miho sighed. "Yeah, I guess. It sure is a coincidence that a cousin that I didn't know was on TV, along with my sister," She replied, "And Alice. It's a strange coincidence it would be him that she would like."

"Are you saying you would like Alice to become your half sister-in-law?" Yukari inquired.

Miho turned red. "I don't know. It'll be kind of weird," She said.

"If he was your half brother, you guys have the same father, don't you. Have you met your father before?" Hana asked.

Miho shook her head. "No, it was always mother who took care of me. She never even mentioned him,"

"So it was a completely surprise," Mako commented.

"Yeah, it was." Miho agreed. "I hope I'll get to meet him in person, though. It would be really interesting." She said. "

I agree. I'll make him fall for me!" Saori jumped at Miho. "Finally, a chance for true love!" She exclaimed, while Miho laughed nervously in the background.

 **Nerome, Ogimi, Okinawa**

Maho watched as columns of soldiers disembarked from the transport planes.

Arai approached her from behind. "Just amazing, right?" She said.

Maho turned around. "What is?" She asked.

Arai chuckled. "They're just some of the near 70,000 troops that's piled on this tiny island. Almost 200 tanks have been delivered to fight here. We're going to launch an offensive and liberate Nago," She put her hand on Maho's shoulder. "You are going to have a bit of rest before being sent back to the frontlines. That's fine with you, right?" She asked.

Maho nodded. "Thanks. I think Erika needs the most rest though,"

Arai whistled. "Where is she?"

Maho shrugged. "Back at the barracks, I suppose,"

…..

Erika was reading through the book Kaito had given her. It was extremely interesting, this was the book that helped create the Panzerwaffe.

"Yo!" Erika looked up and saw Kaito in the doorway. "How's the book?" He strolled over to Erika.

"It's really good. I'm really enjoying it." Erika replied.

Kaito smiled. "Great. I also have The Art of War, if you want," He suggested.

"Really? That would be awesome!" Erika grabbed Kaito's arms. "Why do you own so many books on strategy?" She asked.

Kaito shrugged. "My dad forced me to read them when I was young, and then I gathered an interest for them myself. I brought them over so I could read them in my downtime,"

Erika raised her eyebrows. "You thought you would have downtime in a battlefield?" She asked.

Kaito shrugged again. "I don't know. I didn't want to be bored, you know. And you get to read them all, if you want. My library's all yours,"

"Thanks, commander Nishizumi." Erika let go of Kaito's arm.

Kaito gave her a disappointed expression. "You don't have to call me that you know. It's either 'You' or 'Nishizumi'," He said disappointedly.

Erika looked down at her lap. "Then what else should I call you?" She whispered.

Kaito leaned in close. "Just call me Kaito, won't you?" He smiled.

Erika's cheeks flushed red. "But.." She started but Kaito interrupted her.

"Hey, give me your phone. I want to put myself in your contacts." He waved his hand over. Erika passed him her phone, turning even more red. Kaito quickly scrolled through the phone, before handing the phone back. "Later then." Kaito swiveled around and exited the room. Erika glanced at her phone, and smiled.

 **Keizoku High School Ship**

"So, were you blown here by the wind as well?" Mika asked as she strummed her kantele.

The man in front of her slammed his fist against the table. "Stop blabbing on about the wind or whatever. This is serious!" He shouted.

Aki grabbed Mika by the shoulder. "Don't say things like that in front of important guests!" She turned to the man. "I'm sorry for her behavior, she's always behaving like this." She bowed profusely.

The ma snorted. "That doesn't matter. What matters is your failure to meet the quota!" He growled.

Aki trembled. "Please, we're a poor school. We can't allocate resources or students-"

"Why do you think the government is spending money on your school for?" The man raised his fists.

Aki shrunk back in fear, and crawled behind Mika. "We're still struggling," She whimpered.

The man lowered his fists. "Other poor schools gladly recruited students for the war effort, you know?"

Aki nodded. "I know, but we already have less students and staff,"

"Do you think you can be selfish in such times? You know, I could just shut this broken down ship down." The man threatened.

"But-but-" Aki tried to talk but was overwhelmed by fear.

"Fine. We will accept your demands," Mika spoke up.

The man nodded. "You better," He stood up and stomped out.

Aki stared at Mika. "Why?" She demanded, tearing up.

Mika sighed. "One-half of knowing what you want is knowing what you must give up before you get it," She said.

Aki gave her a confused look. "What does that mean?"

 **Nerome, Ogimi, Okinawa**

Maho stared at the line-up of tanks and equipment down the street. Arai had gone away to a strategic meeting. Erika was reading that book Kaito had given her. Everybody else was also gone, spending their day enjoying their rest.

Hiroi walked up to her. "Everything going well?" He asked, surprising Maho.

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine." She replied quickly. "I've got nothing to do today."

Hiroi sat down . "Same here." He said.

"Have you talked to Kaito ever since last night?" He asked.

Maho shook her head. "No. He's been hanging around Erika,"

Hiroi snorted. "He took a liking to your subordinate, eh? That's pretty funny. I don't think she'll fall for it though. She is your guard dog after all," He chuckled.

Maho looked down. "Are you sure?" She asked.

Hiroi shrugged. "Yeah, probably," He answered.

"But people are unpredictable, so who knows…" He glanced at Maho, and sighed. "So, you wanna go eat somewhere?" He prompted.

Maho smiled. "Sure."

The loud roar startled Maho. Several jet fighters flew overhead, heading towards the North Korean positions.

"Look at them go!" Hiroi whistled. "They're going to blow those bastards up!" There was a loud rumbling and the ground shook. Hiroi pumped his arms into the air. "Woohoo!" He shouted. Maho looked at him and snickered. Hiroi started laughing as well.


	13. Warhawk from Hell

**Chapter twelve: Warhawk from Hell**

 **13 miles away from Nago, June 23**

Maho stared through her binoculars, staring at the ruins of five North Korean vehicles strewn across the bridge. "Good job, time of advance!" She ordered, and her Tiger X started to move forward. Scores of Infantry surge forward, pushing the already wavering North Koreans into full retreat.

" _Commander, there's three enemy APC's by the hill. Permission to engage?"_ The girl's voice crackled through the radio.

"Take them out," Maho replied. She winced as machine gun rounds bounce off the tank, and she ducked down to her seat. "Enemy machine gun position, nine o'clock." She ordered. The Tiger X turned and fired a shot at the machine gun by the edge of the road. The ensuing explosion killed the machine gunners.

…...

Maho leaned against the Tiger X, tired after the long fight. She watches the soldiers march past her, securing their newly-liberated territory.

"Commander!" Maho turns to her left. It was Sakata Mai, or "Ritaiko" as everyone called her. "Want some tea?" She offers Maho a thermos of tea.

"Thanks," Maho accepts graciously. She noticed the soldiers were moving dead bodies, both North Korean and Japanese away from the road.

"They're giving us a rough time, aren't they," Ritaiko commented. Maho nodded. She's been here for a few weeks now, and though they were advancing, it was slow and hard, and they suffered many fatalities. In this attack alone they suffered nearly fifty killed.

"They're not the type to give up," Shenoted. "They give us everything they've got, even though they're suffering worse casualties than us. I have to respect them for that." _Though their conduct on civilians is abysmal, from what I hear,_ she thought _._ She heard that Okinawans have been hostile to the Japanese for the last few years, but all she's gotten is a warm welcome from the natives, and is thanked for defending their island. But the ones who were under the occupation of the North Koreans...Maho shakes her head. She doesn't want to think about it.

"Commander, have you talked to your sister lately?" Ritaiko asked.

Maho sighed. "No. I don't know if I should,"

"But she would like it, wouldn't she?"

Maho pondered for a moment. "Alright, maybe I should. I'll do it later." She relented. A convoy of vehicles drive past them.

"How do you think this'll turn out?" Ritaiko asked.

Maho looked at her. "This campaign? Or the war itself?" She asked back.

Ritaiko shrugged. "Both, I guess," She answered.

Maho nodded. "I think we'll be able to retake all of Okinawa, by the rate of how we're doing right now. For the war, we'll definitely have to liberate South Korea first, then invade the North. And that's excluding anything they're going to do. And we can't forget the Chinese. They are our enemies now," She said.

Ritaiko nodded in agreement. "Do you think Japan will be attacked?" She quired.

Maho shook her head. "I don't think so. Their navy and our navy are fighting, and it seems we've been beating them every single time," She took a sip of tea. "But who knows for sure. Anything can happen." _I sure hope Miho and mother are okay… I feel bad for not thinking about them for a long time,_ her thoughts echoed through her head. She took out her phone. "I'm going to call Miho." She announced. Ritaiko watched as she tapped furiously and putting her phone to her ear.

….

"Miho! I'm sorry I didn't call earlier," Maho apologized when Miho picked up.

" _No, it's alright. I'm happy you called,"_ Her words relieved Maho. " _I don't want to call you when you're busy."_

"Thanks. It's been pretty tough,"

" _Yeah, I know. I've been following the news. There's continuous lists of soldiers who were killed,"_

"Oh…" Maho looked down. "They didn't compile all the people who were killed yet."

" _Really?"_

"Yeah…, I'm sorry, but Koume's dead, and so are others,"

" _What? Ho-how?"_

"I'm sorry," Maho muttered out.

" _I can't believe it… She's gone,"_

"I know. I can't believe it even now,"

 __" _How about Erika-san?"_ Maho quickly changed the subject.

"She's doing well. She was wounded a while back, but it's nothing major."

" _Really? Is she ok?"_

"She's fine. She's resting as of now. I think she got the best deal, to be perfectly honest,"

Miho chuckled from the other side. " _What about kaito-san?"_

"Oh, Kaito. I was surprised by the news as well,"

" _What kind of person is he?_ "

"He's kind of weird. Why?"

" _Ah, oh Saori's interested in him."_ Miho's voice flustered, and Maho could hear a loud " _What?_ " from the background of the other side. Maho glanced at Kaito, who jumped when his phone rang out the tune of "Erika".

Maho smiled. "Tell her it might be hard to get to him. He's already fighting a hard fight," She told Miho.

" _What?_ " Miho questioned. "Nevermind. Have you talked to mother recently?"

" _No, she's been busy too. We're all separated, it's sad,"_

"Don't worry. We'll meet together again," Maho said confidently.

" _Yeah, you're right. We can't be worrying right now,_ "

"I'll see you soon then,"

" _Yeah, see you soon.,_ The phone hung up, and Maho looked at Ritaiko with a smile.

 **JSDF Strategic HQ, Ichigaya, Tokyo, Japan**

Shiho slumped down on the desk, tired from work.

"Want some coffee, Nishizumi?" General Sakurai walked in, holding two cups of coffee. He placed one on the table, and Shiho took it.

Sakurai looked around. "Where's Ami?" He asked.

"She flew to Australia to negotiate an alliance with the Australians, Malaysians, Singaporeans, Filipinos, New Zealanders and Indonesians. Join the Anti-Chinese/North Korean Alliance, she said. We may get military support if this goes through," Shiho replied.

Sakurai sat down. "I guess that's a good thing," he said. "Say, remember that kid from a few weeks ago? The one with your last name?" He asked.

Shiho scowled and glared at him. "What about him?" She demanded.

Sakurai leaned back. "Jeez, what's with that reaction? I was just thinking, I was surprised when he was on TV. I mean, a male Nishizumi? Kinda weird," He muttered/

Shiho took a sip of her coffee. "He should never have been on TV," She mumbled. "That bastard…"

"You mean your husband?" Sakurai asked.

Shiho groaned. "Ex-husband. He's a cruel heartless human being," She said.

Sakurai rolled his eyes. "Seems to me you two were the perfect pair," He said sarcastically.

Shiho gave a dirty look. "I know I'm tough, but he's on another level," She spat.

Sakurai nodded. "I know. I've met him a few times myself, and the rumors don't even add up to half of what he is. He's so off the charts in the political spectrum that not even the radical Left or Right wants to touch him. He's told me that he wants the Empire to be reinstated," He said.

"He's the biggest warhawk out there. Ami told me he suggested we attack North Korea and China in 2021. That was probably the only thing he was right about, to be honest,"

"And now he has a kid, seems to be the same age as Miho."

"Sending his own kid to the front. What filth." Shiho gritted her teeth. Sakurai raised his eyebrows.

Shiho gave him a look. "I was, and still against sending the Senshadou teams to war. You people wouldn't understand,"

Sakurai shrugged his shoulders. "Sure thing,"

"For a bastard, that kid sure is attractive." Maho turned to see Shimada Chiyo, head of the Shimada Style.

"Fancy seeing you here. What do you mean?" Shiho said.

Chiyo smiled. "Well, Alice told me something over the phone you see," She informed.

Shiho raised her eyebrows. "And?" She asked.

"Well, it seems she's developed a crush on that boy," Chiyo was jeering through her hands. "I was thinking, if that boy and Alice got together, the two styles of Senshadou would merge into one. I was thinking the name Shimazumi," She chuckled out.

Shiho's jaw dropped. "What?" She said in surprise.

"I would think Nishida would be a better., Sakurai chipped in.

"Not bad, general." Chiyo winked.

"How about you?" Sakurai turned to the end of the table, where a man with glasses sat quiet. "What do you say, Tsuji?"

Tsuji stared at Shiho, then at Chiyo. "Ooarai should have been shut down," He muttered in a low voice.

"Oh, come on. Don't be a killjoy," Sakurai tapped his finger against the table. He turned to Chiyo. "So, what happened to your man?" He asked.

Chiyo shrugged. "Who knows. He just disappeared," She answered truthfully.

"Oh." Sakurai said, "We were gossiping about Nishizumi's husband, you see."

Shiho rolled her eyes. "Ex!" She exclaimed.

"I love gossip," Chiyo exclaimed.

 **Melbourne, Australia**

Chouno Ami walked down the hallway nervously. She was being escorted by two Australian soldiers. They stopped by a large doorway, and the two soldiers saluted as Ami opened the doors. As she entered a booming voice shouted, "Ah, welcome to Australia, Chouno!"

Ami saluted. "Thank you for inviting me, General Kelly,"

"No problem." The man with the bushy moustache shouted. He turned to the man next to him, a small wiry figure with glasses. "How about it, Bransby?" Kelly asked. Bransby shrugged.

Ami sat down. "Is this all?" She looked around. Besides Kelly and Bransby, there were three Asian men sitting at the table.

"Long time no see," General Yong of Singapore nodded his head.

"Good morning," General Zamrud from Malaysia waved his hand.

"Good to have you here," The Filipino General Marcos lit a cigarette.

"Is this all?" Ami asked again.

Kelly sighed. "The Indians turned down the offer, and the Indonesians said they had important matters." He answered. "I don't know why though. This is for a self-defense alliance. They're giving the rest of us trouble." He complained. He looked towards Ami. "How's the North Koreans treating you?" He asked.

"We're pushing them back right now in Okinawa. Our navy is engaging their ships in the sea of Japan," Ami answered.

"No Chinese involvement yet?" Bransby leaned forward.

Ami shook her head. "Not yet,"

Zamrud groaned. "They're giving it all in our country," He said through gritted teeth. "Can't you send more reinforcements?" He pleaded.

"I'm trying, for God's sake," Kelly answered.

"We need you to survive." Yong added.

"We're on the verge of collapse!" Zamrud shouted.

"Calm down. We're wary of the Chinese as well," Marcos said. "The situation is extremely dangerous right now."

"We're near our limit as well," Kelly added. He turned to Ami. "Can you send troops down?"

Ami shrugged. "We're still in the middle of mobilization, and we're all tied up in Okinawa. I can try though," She said.

Kelly nodded, turning back to Zamrud. "We're all doing our best to support you," He said.

Zamrud groaned in anger. "Goddamn," He mumbled.

Kelly leaned back in his chair. "Don't worry. As long as the Indonesians are fighting, we're set," He said.

 **8 Miles away from Nago, Okinawa**

Maho stared intently at the map. "So close…" She mumbled, trailing her finger to the city of Nago.

"Our first major victory, won't it?" Ritaiko leaned in closer.

Maho nodded. "Shame Erika won't be here to witness it,"

"I'll just recount my heroic exploits." Kaito patted Maho's shoulder.

"And after that we all can go out and have a drink." Hiroi popped up from behind Maho.

Maho turned around, and smiled. "Yeah, we'll have to celebrate till dawn," She agreed.


	14. Playing Dirty

**Chapter Thirteen: Playing Dirty**

 **Few miles away from Nago**

Five aircraft flew overhead, heading towards the city of Nago, while dozens of helicopters followed behind.

"Wow, we're really giving it our all, huh," Maho whistled.

"Yeah, this is our first big counteroffensive," Hiroi said. He exhaled.

"Damn. Sucks Erika couldn't be here," Maho nodded, "I wonder what she's doing right now." She climbed into her Tiger X. "Best of luck to you." She said to Hiroi as she climbed down the hatch.

"Back at you," Hiroi winked.

….

"Oh boy, this is exciting," Kaito exclaimed as he sheathed his gunto while

Tanya looked on. "Please hurry up," She said. Kaito stood up and began to walk towards the column of APCs, IFVs and AFVs. The rest of the regiment filed behind him.

"Commander, this'll be one hell of a fight, won't it?" Lasagna asked.

Kaito grinned. "When we win, you'll get to make all the pasta you want," He said. Lasagna jumped up in joy. Several explosions from afar shakes the ground.

"We're giving them one hell of a pounding!" Kaito shouted. "We're not going to let the air force hog all the glory!" the regiment shouted and ran to their vehicles.

The convoy roared to life as hundreds of vehicles surged forwards.

"Panzer vor!" Maho shouted. The Panzers advanced through steep hills, forest paths and winding roads. Eventually the forests opened up and they ended up in the outskirts of a town. Explosions from afar shook the ground.

 _The air force is doing it's job well,_ Maho thought.

" _There aren't any enemies here,_ " Kaito noted through the radio.

"Maybe they've retreated," Maho said. Maho's Panzer X began to roll through the empty town.

"Where is everybody?" A Panzer commander asked.

Maho looked at every house she passed. _Every house seems to be empty. No lights on and some doors are wide open. Did the North Koreans take all of them?_ She thought. "Stop." She ordered, and the Panzer X halted its engines. She jumped out of her Panzer and ran to the nearest house.

"Where are you going?" Kaito's armored car rolled up next to her.

"I need to check these houses out," Maho said.

Kaito opened the car door and stepped out. "It can be dangerous, so I'll go with you," He grabbed the sheathe of his guntō.

Tanya also stepped out, holding her Type 20. "I'll go too,"

"Thanks. The rest of you check the other houses out," Kaito ordered. Soldiers began exiting their vehicles and entering the houses throughout the town. Maho opened the door and entered, followed by Kaito and Tanya.

The powerful stench immediately took over. Maho instinctively covered her mouth and nose with her hand. Her eyes teared up and she almost vomited.

"What the hell…" Kaito muttered. The entire room was covered in blood; it smeared the walls and puddled on the floor.

Lying on the middle of the floor were the bodies of three people, which Maho assumed was a family. She almost vomited again when she realized one of the bodies was of a little girl. Her shirt was ripped open, and what was once her chest was a huge bloody gash, with organs spilling outside. Her face was covered with a horror-stricken face. The woman next to the girl also had her chest ripped open. Bullets riddled her entire body. Blood was also flowing from her skirt, with a long knife sticking out. The man's throat was cut, and his face was covered with dried up tears. Maho stumbled back, hyperventilating. She turned to Kaito, whose face was stone-cold.

"Those bastards," He stepped past Maho, and knelt down next to the bodies. "This is recent." He said.

Maho grabbed Kaito by the shoulder. "How could they…" She whispered.

Tanya sniffed the air. "There's something other than blood," She said.

Kaito turned around. "What? The smell is so strong I can't distinguish anything else…" Kaito started but Tanya stopped him. She tried to walk over but almost slipped. She threw her arms to the floor to pick herself up. She felt something slippery when she touched the floor. When she raised her hand to her nose and smelled it, she turned white.

"Gasoline…" She said.

"What?" Kaito asked.

Tanya looked at him. "Gasoline. This whole place is covered with gasoline!" She grabbed Kaito's arm. "We need to get out of here now!"

Suddenly flames shot out from the adjacent room. The fire quickly raced towards Maho and pulled the two of them out of the house, nearly throwing them out. Right as Tanya herself jumped out, the house erupted into flames. The houses adjacent caught fire, and the conflagration quickly spread across the town. Maho and Kaito looked in shock as Tanya wiped her hand.

"Watch out, the houses are covered with gasoline," She informed the other soldiers. She looked down at the pair, who are still on the ground. "Get up, you two are the commanders." She sternly told them. "Let's move out,"

It didn't take much longer to figure out the entire was rigged. From doors that explode when opened, to motion-activated lighters in a gasoline-soaked house. There were also no civilians, or at least any alive. Almost every house was littered with dead bodies, left by the North Koreans who retreated. The fire from the first house had consumed nearly half the town, and the soldiers had to put them out.

"They're really doing it this time," Lasagna said.

Nishi groaned. "So annoying…" She muttered.

They reached the town hall, which is in front of a field.

Kaito disembarked from his armored car. "Watch out for traps." He ordered. "Tanya, Maho, check the back." Kaito, Lasagna, Nishi and Earl Grey ran up to the front door of the town hall. Kaito placed explosives by the door. He motioned the rest to move back, as he moved back himself. He detonated the explosives, and with a bang, and the door swung open. They walked in, and scanned the room.

"My god…" Earl Grey whispered.

The entire building was ransacked; pictures were ripped from their frames, cabinets and drawers were empty, and all food was gone from the pantries.

"They stole everything. What kind of guests are they?" Kaito rolled his eyes, "At least they can't booby-trap stuff that aren't even here." He said.

Lasagna poked his head out from the basement. "No more pasta and wine, commander," He announced.

Kaito sighed. "That doesn't mean anythin,." The scream from the back shook Kaito, and he ran to the source, followed by the rest.

Maho stumbled back, almost falling down, while Tanya and Ritaiko stood in horror. In front of them was a ditch filled with hundreds of bodies, all with bullets in their heads. Blood flowed down the small trench, and the bodies piled on top of each other. Some bodies were of children, next to their parents. Ritaiko turned around and vomited.

"How could they?" Maho whispered.

"What the hell's going on?" Lasagna's voice made Tanya turn around. "Oh, God." He said when he saw the ditch. Kaito and Nishi quickly followed from behind.

"So that's how they want to go about this," Kaito said. "They really want look like the bad guys here. Damn it, I'll play by their rules."

"Damn savages," Nishi spat.

"We should at least bury them." Tanya said.

Kaito nodded in agreement. "You're right. It's the least we can do,"

They all continued to advance through the town, with no North Korean resistance. Maho continued to stare at the empty houses. _Who knows how many dead people are in those houses,_ Maho thought somberly.

"Maho." Maho turned. "You alright?" Kaito called from his armored car.

Maho forced a smile. "Yeah. Sure," She replied.

Kaito looked at her concernedly. "Look, what just happened could rattle with anybody. I'm still shocked as well. Don't force yourself," He told her.

Maho looked down. "Thanks," She said.

"Enemy sighted!" A voice called. Maho spun forwards. A Panzer from the front fired a shot, the explosion echoing backwards.

"Platoon of infantry, ten o'clock!" Infantry dismounted from their vehicles and ran towards where the North Koreans were spotted.

Maho looked in her Panzer. "Alright, time to move forward!" She shouted.

The Panzer X began to lead the Panzer column down the street. The Panzers turned a corner and was within the guns of several North Korean guns.

"It's a trap!" Maho shouted. "Retreat!" The guns fired; two shells bounced off of Maho's Panzer X, and three others found their targets in two Panzers. One of them blew up immediately, shooting flames from the cupola, while the other one went silent; the crew was killed inside.

Maho's Panzer X trudged backwards, attempting to escape. An explosion rocked the Panzer X, forcing Maho to grab onto the sides. She fell down during the shaking, nearly hitting her head. "Did we take any damage?" She sputtered out.

Her driver looked behind. "No, commander. They just barely skimmed us," She answered.

Maho composed herself. "Thank God," She muttered, "Aim for the guns on the right." She ordered. The Panzer X turret turned and fired a shot, destroying the defensive position.

Maho smiled. "Good job. Enemy infantry, four o'clock," The machine gun rang out as half a dozen North Korean soldiers fell to the ground.

"We need to get out of here." She said. The Panzer X crashed through a house, firing its cannon and machine guns. Maho ended up at the opposite end of the block, behind the main North Korean defensive line. "Aim your sights…" She whispered, aiming at the backs of the North Korean soldiers who were kneeling by the sandbags. The Panzer X fired multiple times, killing many of the defenders and throwing the rest into a frenzied panic.

…...

Kaito sat impatiently in the armored car, tapping his foot in a fast pace. He took off his seatbelt and grabbed his guntō. "I'm going out." He announced.

Tanya grabbed his arm. "Kaito-sama, it's dangerous." She told him. "It's safer in here."

Kaito looked at her. "What? I'm a sitting duck in here," He yanked himself free and got out. Tanya looked at the driver and machine gunner. She groaned and got out herself. She quickly ran after Kaito, who was running up into a house.

…..

"Move up!" Rumi shouted from the machine gun. "We need to move forwards!"

Azumi looked up from the wheel. "What are we going to do, charge the enemy? We aren't Chi-ha-Tan!" She shouted back.

Megumi unloaded her Type 20 assault rifle. "How about concentrating on the enemy?" She suggested as she reloads. "Rumi, aim at that window." She said.

Rumi swiveled her machine gun and fired at the two-story house, suppressing the North Korean machine gun at the middle window.

"Gyah! Enemy troops advancing!" Azumi shouted. Both Megumi and Rumi trained their guns on the incoming charge. Within minutes fifteen North Korean infantrymen were dead.

"Woohoo! That is the Bermuda Trio for you!" Megumi exclaimed. Azumi and Rumi smiled. "Let's move up."

Kaito and Tanya crawled through the house, sneaking through what seemed like enemy territory.

Tanya looked at Kaito, who was trembling. "Are you alright?" Tanya asked.

Kaito smiled. "Yeah, I'm fine," He answered quickly.

Tanya signed. "Don't push yourself, Kaito-sama," She said dejectedly, "I'm worried for you."

Kaito glanced back. "Worry for me when we get back, will you? I'd rather not die today," He flashed a smile that irritated Tanya. They climbed up a flight of stairs and reached the first door on the second floor.

They slowly opened it and peered inside. By the edge of the room were two North Korean soldiers, one with a sniper rifle, peering down the window.

Tanya rolled a grenade into the room and slammed the door shut. The room shook with a deafening boom. She opened up the door and looked back inside; the entire room was covered in dust, and nothing remained of the two soldiers. Tanya and Kaito then ran down the hall, cutting down any soldier they came across. They broke down a door, only to be met with nearly half a dozen troops. They promptly cut them all down.

….

Maho led the charge down the main road, with ten tanks behind her. A Type 10 shot at a house, blowing the entire structure up. "Keep it up!" She encouraged. "But don't outrun the infantry! They'll protect us from the small fry!" She smiled. _I wish Erika was here with me. She would definitely enjoy this._

They ended up in a field, up against the slope of a large hill. Maho looked around; several hundred troops from both sides in an enormous firefight across the field. Vehicles exploded everywhere. Body parts and metal pieces flew everywhere. The field was littered with bodies and became a lake of blood. Maho's panzer roared forwards, rattling its machine guns at the enemy positions.

"Enemy tanks, four o'clock!" Someone shouted, and Maho turned and saw a Chonma-ho tank lumbering towards her. She sighed in relief. This tank was obsolete, in use since the 80's. "Destroy that thing!" She ordered. The Panzer X fired a shot, and it tore through the Chonma-ho, exploding in a large explosion.

"Yippee!" The loader shouted in glee.

Maho smiled. "Great." She muttered.

Three more Panzers rolled up next to her. From one of the Panzers a commander popped up.

"Commander, what do we do now? It seems they're retreating." She asked.

Maho thought for a bit. "Maybe we should give chase, now's the chance to punch through their main defensive line-" The commander Maho was talking to disappeared as the Panzer erupted into flames. Maho just stared in shock as the other two commanders looked up in fear.

"Oh my god!" One shouted. Maho looked up, at the top of the hill. On it stood a lone tank, a Pokpung-Ho V, its barrel smoking. It fired again, and another Panzer burst as the shell penetrated it.

"Goddamn it!" The third commander screamed as the Panzer aimed at the North Korean tank. The Pokpung-Ho V simply moved to the left, and the shell sailed wide. The Pokpung-Ho V fired again, and Maho's vision was covered with clouds of dust and smoke.

…..

"Forwards!" Kaito waved his guntō in the air, as he ran forwards. Tanya followed behind, firing at whatever peeked over in the fields. Lasagna and Nishi burst from the left, pushing down a pair of North Korean soldiers down. Earl Grey fired off a salvo of shots at a North Korean sniper in a tree in the field. The sniper fell out, a single bullet in his brain. Akaboshi Naoki carefully aimed his sniper rifle, and placed his crosshairs on a North Korean officer, who was giving out orders. With one shot, the officer's head imploded with blood and brains splattering everywhere. He smiled as he pulled the bolt back.

"We got them on the run!" Kaito shouted. "Charge!" He sliced down a North Korean soldier down.

"You're just like my sister," Nishi muttered as she ran behind.

Maho covered her face as the dust swirled around her. As it settled Maho opened her eyes. She looked up in shock as the Pokpung-Ho V right in front of her. But what shook her to the core was the girl in the tank. A girl with long black hair, tied up with a hair tie. A long scar ran down her eye. The girl opposite of Maho also had a look of surprise plastered on her face. The two tanks blankly stared at each other, surprised by their encounter.


	15. Clash of Titans

**Chapter Fourteen: Clash of Titans**

The two commanders stared at each other as it time itself stopped.

Maho stared at the girl before her. _Who is that, she looks familiar..._ Maho thought. Suddenly images of nightmares flooding into her mind. "You! Your from my nightmare!" She finally sputtered out.

The girl had a confused look on her face, then started laughing. "I finally get to meet you, Nishizumi Maho! Oh, what luck I have!" She exclaimed.

Maho stared at her in shock, not only because she knew who Maho was, but that she could speak Japanese quite fluently. "What? You know me?" She demanded.

The girl had a smug look on her face. "Of course. You're known in the international Senshadou community as a prodigy. You are the heir of the Nishizumi style after all,"

"Who are you?" Maho's voice quivered.

The girl sneered. "Ryuk Mi-jing, commander of the Korean Senshadou team," She introduced herself.

If Maho was anymore shocked, she didn't show it. "Oh," Was all she said.

Mi-jing jeered. "I had to endure nightmares for weeks, and now the source is in front of me! But now all that ends today!" She exclaimed.

Maho eyes widened. "Nightmares?" She said.

Mi-jing scowled. "You've been haunting me for a long time now. But now that's over!" She screamed. "Your time is over. Die, you bitch!"

The barrel imploded as the shell barreled towards Maho. As it flew past her, the wind whipped her hair back and she winced. She instinctively turned her head away, and when she turned forwards again, Mi-Jing's Pokpung-Ho V was in full reverse up the hill.

"Fire!" Maho ordered. Her Panzer X shot at the Pokpung-Ho V, but it missed and hit the dirt next to it.

The Pokpung-Ho V fired again, and the shot bounced off the Panzer X, making it shudder with a metallic grinding noise. Maho grabbed the sides of the cupola.

The Pokpung-Ho V stopped at the top of the hill, firing another shot. The shot fell wide, hitting several feet behind Maho. The Panzer X sputtered forwards as the it climbed the slope. The Pokpung-Ho V jerked to the right and began to descend the slope, its turret trained on the Panzer X.

"Reverse! She's aiming for the engine!" Maho shouted. The Panzer X sped down as the shell flew past Maho. "Go towards friendly lines in a serpentine," She ordered to the driver. "keep your aim on the enemy." She told the gunner.

The turret turned around, firing back at the Pokpung-Ho V, all the while running away. The Pokpung-Ho V gave chase, lobbying shells at the Panzer X. They landed within meters of the Panzer X, showering Maho with dirt and dust. The two tanks raced backwards, cutting through the battle. Bullets bounced off the armor with loud _pings_ as soldiers jumped out of the way with surprised shouts.

They climbed over trenches and dipped as they slid down muddy and bloody ground.

"Hiroi, can you hear me?" Maho asked into her radio.

" _Sure thing, Maho,"_ Hiroi's confident voice reassured Maho.

"Good, I'm going back to the village. Set up an ambush at the second turn," She told him.

" _You got it,_ " Hiroi answered. Maho looked back at the Pokpung-Ho V. Mi-jing glared at her, relaying orders to her crew. Both tanks continued trading shells, though most missed. Maho fired a shell that grazed the Pokpung-Ho V, almost throwing Mi-jing out of the tank.

Mi-jing continued chasing the Panzer X. She gritted her teeth in frustration. _Damn, if I could only get a solid hit..._ She thought. _One shot and she would be gone…_ "Continue firing." She told her gunner. She looked to her left and saw a Japanese soldier with a rocket aiming at her. She swiveled the machine gun and fired off several shots; the man fell down, dead. Another shot bounced off the Pokpung-Ho V, and Mi-jing had to balance herself again.

The Pokpung-Ho V fired at the Panzer X, hitting the turret on the side. The Panzer X entered the village, and Mi-jing followed. The Panzer X made a sudden left turn, and Mi-jing almost missed it. The Pokpung-Ho V quickly backed up and turned left. It quickly caught up with the Panzer X. They went down a narrow road, until the Panzer X turned again.

This time Mi-jing turned, on the Panzer X's tail. Suddenly white smoke shot out from the tank, and covered Mi-jing's vision. _The hell, she's using smoke screen!_ She thought. "Damn it," She muttered, "That bitch."

Maho smiled as the smoke enveloped the entire street. "Get ready," She ordered into the radio.

" _Yes, ma'am,_ " Hiroi replied. Maho looked back, hopeful she'll pursue. No, she will pursue. Maho was sure of it. She heard the rumbling of tank treads following her. She looked forwards and saw the trap; nearly a dozen men, armed with man portable rockets and grenades, stationed on the ground and in several buildings, trained on the smoke.

Maho ordered the Panzer X to stop behind the line of rockets, still trained on the now dissipating smoke. She smiled. She would defeat this unhinged girl. She saw the silhouette of a tank in the smoke. "Load APFSDS!" She ordered.

The smoke finally dispersed, and instead of the Pokpung-Ho V, it was a Chonma-Ho tank, with several M1992 APCs and BMP-1s.

"What?" Maho spat out right before the North Korean vehicles fired a volley. The shots fell into the defense line, throwing several men into the air.

" _What the hell? You didn't tell me about this!_ " Hiroi shouted.

Maho gritted her teeth in frustration. _That bitch led an armored spearhead while she was covered with the smoke-screen?_ "Fire!" She shouted, and her Panzer X blew a M1992 up, its turret bursting into flames. Hiroi fired his rocket launcher at the Chonma-Ho, destroying it.

Maho continued firing at the advancing APCs, destroying more than five when her tank lurched forwards, shaking violently. She had to grab the sides of the cupola to balance herself. She turned around, and saw the barrel of the Pokpung-Ho V aiming right at her. "Damn it!" She cursed as the Pokpung-Ho V fired another shot, hitting a building behind her. "Get us out of here!" She shouted down to her driver.

The Panzer X turned around and charged towards the Pokpung-Ho V. But a few meters away the Panzer X swung left and drifted away from the North Korean tank. The Panzer X gunned forward, and when Maho turns around the Pokpung-Ho V was turning to face her.

"Turn!" Maho ordered, and the Panzer X turned at the street corner. "Shoot the building on the left." She said. The turret turned and shot at the three story building by the street corner. With a deafening shot the building crashed down, covering the street with rubble. "Keep going forwards." She said.

As the Panzer X continued going down the street Maho glanced to her left. There, in between the cracks of the buildings she saw the Pokpung-Ho V driving alongside her. They began firing through the buildings, leaving behind a trail of rubble and debris behind them. They weaved and waved through the streets, constantly trying to outmanoeuvre each other. They both exited the village and ended back on the field.

A smile crept on Maho's face as she saw the rear of the Pokpung-Ho V in front of her. "Fire!" She roared. The shot rushed forwards, hitting the back. The Pokpung-Ho V shuddered to a stop, and started smoking. The cupola opened, and Mi-jing's upper body popped out, struggling to get out. Maho turned the machine gun and aimed it at Mi-jing. Mi-jing looked back at Maho, her eyes conveying a message of defiance and hatred. Maho's finger slowly moved to the trigger.

Several explosions rocked the Panzer X, and Maho covered her face with her arms. She peeked from her arms and saw a Pokpung-Ho IV tank, with four Chonma-Ho tanks behind it, covering fire for Mi-jing as she pulled the rest of the tank crew out of the tank. Several more shots threw clouds of dirt around the Panzer X. Maho grabbed the machine gun and began firing wildly at the North Koreans.

And then it was all over. The North Korean tanks retreated back to their lines, carrying Mi-jing and her crew with them. Maho stared as they disappeared, slumping down through the cupola.

 **Two hours later**

Maho leaned against the Panzer X, staring at the sky. The field was littered with bodies and vehicles from both sides. Blood and mud soaked through her boots. She sighed in frustration. She failed to kill that girl. "I wish I had a smoke." She moaned. Hiroi walked next to her, holding a cup of tea.

Maho looked at it. "Where did you get that?" She asked.

Hiroi shrugged. "Earl Grey made some,"

"Thanks," Maho gladly took the cup of tea. She took a sip. "This stuff is good." She remarked.

Hiroi laughed. "I know, right?" He looked down. "So, you failed to get that tank?" He asked.

Maho nodded. "That commander was something else," She said. "I can't really explain it, but I think she had some sort of hatred for me."

"Really?" Hiroi asked in bewilderment.

Maho nodded. "She knew who I was already, and seemed bent on killing me,"

"Well, she is an enemy,"

"But she said something about a nightmare," Maho turned to look at Hiroi.

"Really?" Hiroi asked, perplexed.

"It's weird, because I saw her in a few nightmares myself," Maho said.

"Nightmares? Since when?" Hiroi leaned back on the Panzer X.

"I only had two, and those were way back. But both had her in it. And both times she ended up killing me," Maho explained. "The second one was even stranger than the first. It was pitch black except for a burning house. I was just a little kid, with Miho and mother with me. I looked over and saw her, also younger crying. She looked at me, and then the scene changed. I, I was laying on the ground, surrounded my dead friends. She stood over me, with a gun. She aimed it at my head and pulled the trigger. That was when I woke up."

Hiroi whistled. "That's some dream."

Maho nodded. "Yeah, it was. Those were pretty frightening. But I'm fine now," She smiled.

Hiroi smiled. "That's good,"

…...

Kaito sat on a hill, cleaning his guntō. Tanya sat down next to him.

"What a battle," Kaito said.

Tanya sighed. "Over 4,000 casualties, including 1,200 killed. We killed over 6,000 North Koreans, and captured 300 of them," She listed.

"300?" Kaito asked. Tanya nodded and pointed to a spot in the field, where Kaito saw a blob of people sitting down.

Kaito ran to the prisoners, followed by Tanya. He stopped in front of them, gasping for air.

Akaboshi Naoki look at him, bewildered. "What is it, commander?" He asked. Kaito pointed at the prisoners.

Naoki smiled. "Oh, those. We didn't think we would have prisoners, so we don't know what to do with these yet," He said.

Kaito nodded. "We should get them to the rear as fast as we can," He looked over to the prisoners. They ranged in age, from early twenties to late looked worried and scared, looking warily at the Japanese guards.

"Commander!" Kaito turned around and saw Lasagna and Nishi, leading a group of soldiers stomping towards him.

"What is it?" Kaito asked.

"Them!" Nishi shouted, pointing at the prisoners.

"It's those bastards. Why should we take them alive?" Lasagna said.

"Whoah, whoah. Calm down. What are you saying?" Kaito took a step back.

"Those bastards killed most of the civilians and tried to bury them in a ditch," Nishi exclaimed.

"But they were stopped when we attacked them," Kaito groaned. "Just because they did something doesn't mean we should do something to them."

"We're going to waste our time and supplies on them?" Nishi glared at Kaito.

"Oh, come on. Let's not get too hasty with this," Kaito mumbled.

Lasagna stormed past Kaito, waving his rifle around. "We should get rid of them!" He shouted. He fired off a couple of shots to the ground. "I can't take it anymore! We can't let them do as they please. They have to suffer the consequences!" He slammed the butt of his rifle against one of the prisoners, who fall on the ground, crying in pain.

"Stop it!" Kaito shouted, clutching the sheathe of his guntō.

"Why? All they've been doing is rape and murder civilians. They don't deserve our civility," Nishi yelled.

"We'll put them through international and military law," Kaito stuttered, now alarmed by his subordinates' hostility.

"So what? The worst that'll happen is that they'll lie behind bars for some time, wasting money that could be spent on something else," A soldier said.

"Look, I won't let any of you hurt or kill these prisoners," Kaito unsheathed his guntō. "If you do, I'll have to use force to stop you." He threatened.

"You value the lives of the enemy over your own subordinates?" Lasagna hissed. "What kind of a commander are you?"

Kaito scowled. "Don't misinterpret me. I don't want any of you to become criminals as well,"

"What are you all doing?" Hiroi and Maho ran down to Kaito. "Stop this!"

Lasagna spat. "Commander, what are we even fighting for when we have to protect the ones who want to kill us?" He and Nishi turned around and walked away. Kaito's shoulders slumped down, visibly disturbed.

Maho patted his back. "Don't worry. You do what you think is right," She assured him.

Kaito looked up and sighed. "I guess," He said slowly, "I can't alienate my comrades anymore." He looked at the prisoners. "I understand their anger, but I can't let them behave in such a manner they wanted to." He said. "Well, I guess we have to continue fighting, regardless." He sheathed his guntō, and started walked away. "Thanks for listening. Except for Tanya here, I feel pretty alone sometimes." He and Tanya left Maho and Hiroi alone, by the prisoners.


	16. Casualties of War

**Chapter fifteen: Casualties of War**

 **Nishizumi Household, Kumamoto**

Shiho stared at the empty mansion. She had her servant, Idegami Kikuyo to move out everything out of the mansion and move it to a mansion in Tokyo. She sighed. This was her home, her life. Now she was forced to move out. The National Japanese Senshadou Federation, on the orders of the government, had made Shiho move out of Kumamoto. Kumamoto was becoming the target of North Korean air raids, bombing cities and killing hundreds of civilians, and Shiho was too important to lose. The evacuation process was surprisingly efficient, evacuating tens of thousands of civilians, including 4,000 children.

Shiho walked through the mansion one final time, sliding her hand across every wall and peering in every room. She looked outside. Even the Panzer parked outside was hauled away. She sighed again. She began to tear up as memories began to pour in; how she and the girls used to make model tanks and she taught them how to drive tanks for the first time. She looked down as she remembered how she reprimanded Miho when she went against the Nishizumi style. _I haven't apologized to her yet,_ she thought. _I even tried to disown her. If I could have been a better mother…_

"Shiho-sama? Shiho-sama!" The voice of Kinuyo brought her back to reality.

"Yes?" She turned to her servant.

"are you ready to leave?" Kinuyo asked.

Shiho nodded. "This will be the last time I'll stand here," She said. "What a wondrous home it was." She began walking towards the car Kinuyo brought when from a relatively far distance the wailing of a siren could be heard.

A soldier ran up to Shiho. "Ma'am, several North Korean bombers were sighted off the coast of Ojika. There's no doubt they're aiming for Kumamoto and Nagasaki again," He said. Shiho nodded and quickly ran off to the car, which disappeared in a cloud of dirt.

 **Miho's Room, Ooarai Girls High School Carrier**

"Mmmm, this is good, Hana **.** Where did you get this?" Saori took a bite out of the red bean bun. "I thought these things were rationed."

"That is a secret only Yukari-san and I can know," Hana said with a wink.

Saori looked down at the bun. "You stole this?" She demanded.

Yukari laughed. "No, no. My dad got these for his rations, and he sent these for me," She exclaimed.

Saori sighed in relief. "Thank god," She whispered.

"Nishizumi-dono, what's wrong?" Yukari asked, looking at Miho, who was staring blankly at her bun. Yukari waved her hand in front of Miho's face, and she jerked back.

"Ah! What?" Miho demanded.

Yukari scooted back. "I'm sorry, Nishizumi-dono," She quickly apologized.

Miho shook her head. "No, it's alright. I was just thinking," She said. She jumped on her bed and turned the TV on. "I wonder if there's anything on."

Saori shrugged. "Karina-chan's been binge watching 80's mecha anime for the past week now,"

The TV turned onto the NHK news channel. " _Welcome to NHK. Earlier this morning there was another North Korean air raid against Nagasaki and Kumamoto. Approximately 60 enemy aircraft appeared over the coast at around 10:00 A.M., taking heavy fire from the anti-air defense ring, and we took nearly 28 down on their way here. Because of previous evacuations the civilian death toll was light; only 420 civilians killed, with more than 1,700 wounded and 80 unaccounted for. On their way back to the Korean peninsula the bombers were engaged by our jet fighters, who shot down 15 more enemy jets._

" _Because of the recent spike in enemy activity over our coast, the government has decided to evacuate all children and elderly from the western coast starting this weekend, and the construction of bomb shelters and anti-air missiles across the entire nation. School carriers will also be reinforced with bunkers, vaults and reinforced steel against any and all attacks_."

"Wow, they're getting awfully serious about this." Saori pouted.

"Of course. We're at war, not a picnic." Mako's head poked out of Miho's bed.

Miho looked worried. "I wonder how mom's doing. Our house is in Kumamoto," She said.

"Don't worry, Nishizumi-dono. Your mother is a strong woman and a bomb or two won't kill her!" Yukari shouted, and Miho just laughed.

"Thanks, Yukari-san." Miho's phone rang loudly, and she picked it up. "Hello? Oh, president? What is it? Infantry and armored training? Oh, okay, got it." She hung up and looked at the rest of the girls. "The president wants to have the Senshadou Team and the OSIC(Ooarai Special Infantry Corps) to train together."

 **BC Freedom High School Carrier**

The tall girl watched with disappointment as the group of girls fight in front of her outside the school. She sighed, as she had hoped the two sides would make up when the school was forced to create an infantry battalion to aid the growing war effort, but they still managed to somehow strike up a disagreement. The BC side wanted to name the school unit "Milice", while the Freedom demanded "Maquis". To her however, none of that mattered.

"Merde! Shut up!" She slammed her fist against the brick wall. The girls stopped fighting and stared at her. "By God, why can't you agree on anything? Do you think you can disagree when you are on the battlefield? No! If you don't work together, you might end up dead!" She shouted.

"But…" A girl from the Freedom stammered.

"No buts! We'll make a compromise; we'll make two companies, one for BC and one for Freedom. But you two will have to work together. Understood?" The tall girl shouted again. The group of girls began to disperse, mumbling as they went.

"That went rather well, didn't it commander Asparagus?" The tall girl turned around. Another girl stood behind her.

"Oh, Moules," Asparagus said. "What is it?"

Moules nodded. "I got a call from Bonple. It seems Jajka wants a training match for her "Eaglets","

"Even that Bonple's forced to send students?" Asparagus asked.

Moules nodded. "Not only are the major schools are affected by the draft, but smaller schools are being targeted as well. Well, we're not a small school but that's besides the point," She said.

Asparagus groaned. "I really don't want to deal with her right now. She's so smug and arrogant," She complained. She looked up at Moules. "Have you seen or spoken to Shizuka recently?" She asked.

Moules shrugged. "No. She's been off the radar for quite some time," She answered.

Asparagus groaned again. "Times really are going bad, huh," She remarked.

"I suppose so," Moules replied.

 **Saunders Girls High School Carrier**

Seo-yeon stared at the TV, watching the news.

Kay walked in with a burger in her hand. "Hey. Still following the fight, huh?" She said.

Seo-yeon nodded. "We're pushing them slowly back in Okinawa," She answered.

Kay smiled. "That's good. I guess that means we don't have to go fight ourselves."

Seo-yeon looked down. "I want to fight. I need to fight to free my friends," She clenched her fist.

Kay walked over to her. "You know what? We're going to beat them here, then we're going to go to Korea and take back your home," She said, beaming brightly. "We'll beat them in just a matter of time." She confidently stated.

Seo-yeon smiled. "Yeah. We're going to win this,"

Kay looked at the TV. "Okinawa, that's where Maho is," She said.

"Is she a friend?" Seo-yeon asked.

Kay nodded. "We were Senshadou buddies. Still friends. She's kinda cold, but once you get to know her, she's really nice. She's also protective of her sister," She explained.

Seo-yeon nodded vigorously. "She's the heir to the Nishizumi style right? She's famous in Korea too," She smiled, "So I know she's fine." Her smile dropped. "But I don't want to think what'll happen if she becomes a prisoner," She said.

Kay became worried. "Is it that bad?" She inquired.

Seo-yeon nodded. "They'll destroy anything they touch. Let's just say she'll go through hell before she dies," She said.

Kay shuddered. "Jesus," She gritted her teeth.

…..

Alisa stared at the computer and clicked through the news headlines, slurping the shake she held.

Naomi snuck up from behind her, grabbing her back. "Hey, whatcha doing?" She laughed, blowing bubblegum in Alisa's face.

Alisa gave her a glare. "Just looking through news in America and Europe,"

"And? What's the news?" Naomi whispered in Alisa's ear.

Alisa's face turned red. "Well, the rebels in California are being pushed back by the First US Army. Oahu fell to rebels a week ago. The Confederacy and the US are still heavily fighting in the South. Almost all of Texas is free of US forces. The European armies are almost at Warsaw, and Swedish and Scandinavian armies are almost at the Finnish border," She explained.

Naomi smiled. "Good to know your up to date with the current news," She stroked Alice's hair.

She jumped up and pushed Naomi away. "What is your problem?" She demanded.

Naomi took a step back. "Woah woah woah, calm down will you? I was trying to be a replacement for Takashi," She sheepishly said.

Alisa scowled. "It's really weird and creepy!" She shouted.

"Okay, fine," Naomi sighed and turned around. "You're no fun." She muttered as she left the room. Alisa caught that, and slumped down in the computer chair.

 **Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, Tokyo**

Tsuji Renta walked down the large hallway, carrying large bundles of paper. He was sent here by the government to work for an important politician. _Ugh, why do I have to do this?_ He thought to himself. _I don't deserve this._ He knocked on the door.

"Come in." A voice boomed out. Tsujo slowly opened the door and entered the room.

The room was large, with pictures of important people from Japanese history glistened off the lights. Renta shuddered as he saw the portraits of Prince Yasuhiko and Hideki Tojo.

"You must be Tsuji Renta, right?" At the end of the room was a large mahogany desk sat a large bald man. Tsuji nodded. "Good. I'm Nishizumi Kijiro." The man introduced himself.

Tsuji gulped. "Nishizumi?"

The man grinned. "Already know my name? Of course, you worked for the Senshadou Federation, so you must have known that woman,"

"What do you want?" Tsuji demanded.

Kijiro laughed. "I just need some help, that's all," He said.

Tsuji flipped through the papers. "These are transfer orders…?" He looked down. "Sending Saunders to the Philippines?" He asked in disbelief.

Kijiro smirked. "They're our allies," He said. "I'm also going to arrange Ooarai to be deployed to Malaysia."

"Ooarai? That's where your daughter is!" Tsuji gasped. "Wait a second, Kuromorimine is in Okinawa. This isn't just against Senshadou, but against your wife!"

Kijiro smirked again. "Is it? I sent my own son to Okinawa and I have no regrets."

"But sending high schoolers to war in another country is a bit…" Tsuji adjusted his glasses.

"And? We all have to make sacrifices. High schoolers are still members of society. They need to contribute as well. And if they're so confident of their Senshadou they can play in their tanks in the battlefield!" Kijiro boomed.

Tsuji trembled with fear. _So this is the true Nishizumi demon!_

* * *

 **Milice- The collaborators and police forces of the Vichy Regime during World War II.**

 **Maquis- French resistance fighters that fought against the Germans during World War II.**

 **Eaglets- The "Lwow Eaglets", a band of Polish teenagers that defended Lwow against the Ukrainians in the Polish-Ukrainian War 1918-1919.**

 **Prince Yasuhiko-The commander of the army that perpetrated the Nanking massacre. As he was related to Emperor Hirohito, he was never tried for his actions.**

 **Tojo hideki-Prime minister of Japan during World War II. He advocated for war against the United States.**

 **Damn fifteen chapters already! That is a lot of words. I was going to write longer but writer's block ruined it for me. Any way, thank you all for favoriting and following this seemingly depressing story. I did not think this many people would actually enjoy this. A special thank you to my boy SeekerMeeker for for being there from the beginning, putting a review for almost every chapter. He's got his own nifty story; Welcome to America, GUP. Its interesting and nicely written, check it out! That's enough promotion for one day. Anyway, I would appreciate it if ya'll write a review. It could be anything, from criticism, ideas, questions, or any thing in general. Okee then, adios amigos, until next time!**


	17. Underneath the Moon

**Chapter sixteen: Underneath the Moon**

 **Nerome, Ogimi, Okinawa, June 23, 9:20 P.M.**

"Ugh, why is there nothing on TV?" Erika groaned as she flipped through several TV channels. "It's only the news."

"Is it that bad?" Arai asked, munching on a sembei.

Erika looked at her. "What are you doing? Shouldn't you be planning strategies or something?" She asked.

Arai shrugged. "It got boring after a while. Everyone's always bickering with each other. 'Uhh, we should flank them through the forest'. 'No, we should just bomb their positions with the air force'. 'But that would hurt civilians'. 'How about an amphibious landing?' I am so tired of all of it," She said.

"But that's your job," Erika pointed out.

Arai slumped down on the table. "Come on. At least you get to go out in the field and fight and stuff. I have to do paperwork!" She whined.

Erika turned back to the TV. "Okay then. Why did you join in the first place?" She asked.

Arai sighed. "Because the military's the only place I could go to," She grabbed several more sembeis. "I lied about my age to join in." She said.

Erika scoffed. "Why?" She asked.

Arai finished her sembeis. "To escape my dad. He was really crazy. Beat my mom half to death. 'Accidentally' ran over my dog. Kept me from eating for days at a time. Barred me from going to school. Things like that," She explained.

Erika looked at her with wide eyes. "Oh my God," She exclaimed.

Arai nodded. "It only got worse. He started walking in on me when I was getting dressed or taking a bath. He started abusing mom and I even more," She exhaled. "But it was after my mom found out he was cheating things things went even worse."

"What happened?" Erika asked longingly.

Arai sighed. "He...he killed mom," she reluctantly said.

Erika's jaw dropped. "What!" She shouted.

"He killed her right in front of me. Stabbed her in the chest several times. After that he tried to get me; he grabbed my clothes but I somehow got away," Arai said. "That was years ago."

"Did you tell the police?"

"They'll never believe me. Besides, they were in his pocket anyways,"

"What kind of a guy was he?"

"He has a lot of power. He's a real bastard," Arai spat.

Erika shuddered. "What did you do then?" She asked.

"I joined the military at around seventeen to escape hi,." Arai answered. "I thought he couldn't hurt me here."

Erika nodded. "Wow, you really went through a lot," She said. "How old are you?"

"Twenty-two now. I'm an old lady compared to you." She smirked. Erika also chuckled.

 **Within the city limits of Nago, around 10:44 P.M.**

Kaito leaned against the foxhole, his head softly banging against the hard dirt.

"Kaito-sama," A finger tapped on his shoulder. "Kaito-sama." Another tap, this time harder.

Kaito's eyes fluttered a few times. "Whaa.." He groaned. His eyes flashed awake. He awoke to be surrounded by darkness.

"Kaito-sama." The voice caused him to quickly look around. Then he remembered that he wasn't wearing his night vision goggles. He pulls it down and is surprised to see Tanya staring at him, wearing night vision goggles herself.

"Kaito-sama, don't sleep on watch," She warned him. "I have to sacrifice my sleep to monitor you."

"Sorry," Kaito muttered.

Tanya smiled. "It's fine. Just know you're lucky you're with me," She said.

Kaito's lips curved up. "Yeah, I guess I am," He scooted over as Tanya slid to where he was moments before.

Tanya pointed her gun towards the streets in front of her. "Good night," She whispered.

"Yeah yeah. Goodnight," Kaito replied, yawning.

 **Panzer X, somewhere near Japanese lines**

Maho could not go to sleep. Her eyes would not let her. She looked down from her seat and heard the soft snores of her friends. She fished through her pockets for her phone. She turned it on. She thought of texting Erika, but decided not to. _I wonder how she's doing. I wonder how Miho's doing._ Her mind was racked with worry.

Her thoughts drifted to the North Korean girl. She was skilled, no doubt about it. She might even be on par with Maho. _I failed to kill her. I'll do it next time._ She scolded herself. But something told her otherwise. Something was nagging from the back of her brain, desperate to pull up memories Maho was sure weren't real. _I've seen her before, in my dreams, but from somewhere else too. But from where?_ She sighed. She wanted to drink some sake again. She smiled when she remembered when she went drinking with Hiroi. That was a pretty good time. He was a strange person, but he was always energetic and willing to help her, and she was grateful for that.

Without realizing it, Maho slowly drifted to sleep.

 **Outskirts of Nago, in a building somewhere**

The lamp barely illuminated Hiroi, who was cleaning his rifle. He grumbled while he did so, about jams and mishaps. He ought to drop this and get a new gun. Maybe even the North Koreans aren't having this much trouble with their guns.

"Sir, you should get some sleep," Another soldier slid open the door to the room, rubbing his eyes.

Hiroi looked at him. "I don't want to die tomorrow, or tonight for that matter. I'll take some rest when my shift is over," He replied. The soldier promptly turns around and shuts the sliding door.

Hiroi goes back to cleaning his gun, mumbling.

 **City of Nago**

"God damn it. She actually might have done something!" Mi-jing shouted.

"Hold still," Maeng ordered as she dabbed her arm with a cloth. "You literally got a scratch. Just Know your lucky." She said.

Mi-jing pouted. "I know. But still…"

"But that Nishizumi girl… She was pretty good." She said after a while.

Maeng shrugged. "It was mostly luck," She said.

Mi-jing tilted her head to the side, thinking for a bit. "You know what? You're right," She exclaimed. "I know I could beat her in a match. I'll show her who's the best."

She suddenly placed her hands on her temple as it began to burn. She knelt down and groaned in pain. She felt her consciousness leave her, and she fell forwards.

"Commander! Was there shrapnel in your forehead?" Maeng quickly picked her up. "Commander!"

 _There it was again. The burning mansion. Mi-jing tried to push forwards, but was dragged back by her uncle. She looked over, and scowled. It was damn Maho over there. She was staring at the burning mansion, along with an older woman and a younger girl, presumably her mother and sister. Why the hell were they there? Anger burned up inside of her. She tried to claw her way out of her uncle's grasp towards Maho, but his grip was too strong. She screamed, but no noise came out. Her uncle picked her up and began walking away, while Maho looked on with a pitiful look._

She woke up lying on a white bed. _Where am I?_ She thought.

"Good for you commander, there isn't any shrapnel or nothing in you. You just need some rest," Maeng's face appeared out of the blue with a smirk.

Mi-jing groaned. "That's the last thing I need," She complained.

 **Ooarai girls high school carrier**

The various Senshadou teams had brought out their sleeping bags to the middle of the field.

"We're going to have the biggest slumber party in Ooarai history!" Anzu announced, and the girls cheered. "Anteater team, why bring your games when you can converse with friends. Put those away!" She shouted, and a trio of girls moan in protest.

….

"I wish there were boys!" Saori shouted, "Why aren't there boys here?"

"That's because this is an all girl's school." Hana answered.

"But what about the army boys here?" Saori pouted.

Mako, who was awake at night time spoke . "You want to be with a pedophile?" She jeered, causing Saori to pout even more. Miho placed her Boko pattern sleeping bag on the ground.

"Miporin! Call your half brother over here!" Saori shouted.

Miho turned around. "What? I don't have his number or anything. I've never even met him," She stammered.

Saori groaned. "God! Everyone is so boring," She said exasperatedly.

….

"Would you look up at that sky, Erwin. It's filled with stars," Caesar said, lying in her sleeping bag.

"I wonder if Columbus was staring at the same sky," Erwin commented.

"It's gotta be Captain Cook," Oryou added.

"How about Odysseus?" Saemonza asked.

"That's it!" The three other girls shouted.

….

The volleyball team was setting up a net when the first years walked up to them.

"Are you seriously going to play now?" Aya asked.

Noriko turned around. "Is there something wrong?" She shot back.

"I mean, it is night time," Ayumi said.

Noriko shrugged. "Does it matter? We can see from the stars,"

Aya sighed in resignation. "Fine, whatever. Do your own thing," She turned back to her friends.

…...

The rest of the first years were huddled together, whispering.

"So who do you think is going to get a boyfriend?" Karina asked.

Ayumi giggled. "Has to be Miho-sempai!"

"Eeeh, do you think so? She doesn't seem the type to get one," Yuuki said.

Ayumi glanced at her. "Maybe its that boy we've been hearing about for the past few weeks," She suggested.

Azusa gagged. "That's her brother! What's wrong with you, that's incest!"

"Well, they're only half-siblings," Ayumi countered.

"I learned a darker side to you," Azusa muttered. Ayumi only shrugged.

"How about Saori-sempai?" Karina asked.

Yuuki chuckled. "She will never get a boyfriend," She whispered. A distant "Hey!" could be heard in the background, but nobody catches it.

"Saki. Saki. Saki," Aya waved her hand in front of Saki's face, whose head slightly moved. "What are you doing?" She asked. Saki pointed at Aya.

Aya looked at Saki, who nods. Aya turns around to see a white humanoid figure dissipating. Her eyes bulge and her jaw drops. "Aaaaaah!" She screamed.

The rest of the first years come running over.

"What's wrong?" Karina asked.

"G-g-g-ghost!" Aya stammers out, rolled up in a ball.

"That's just your imagination," Azusa said.

Aya's pale face peeked out. "Saki…" She mumbled. They all turn towards Saki, who shrugs.

"It's your imagination," Aya said.

…..

Four girls covered in sweat stand in awe in front of their Tiger (P).

"Whew, this is great!" Nakajima roared.

"Fixing Leopon underneath the stars sure is magnificent," Tsuchiya added.

Hoshino wiped her brow with her hand. "Did anyone bring the drum can baths?" She asked.

"Hell yeah! Let me take them out." Suzuki said, running behind the Tiger (P).

Nakajima turned to Miho. "Hey,Commander! Wanna take a bath?" She shouted. Miho shook her head vigorously.

"Oh well. Her loss," Nakajima said. She looked up at the sky. "Won't be half bad tonight though."

…...

The Public Moral Committee watched the girls run around in the field below.

"This should be against the rules," Sodoko fumed.

"I think it's alright tonight," Gomoyo said.

Sodoko turned on her. "No, it's not! We have to keep order," She retorted.

Pazomi walked over. "You work too much. Why don't you take a break?" She suggested.

Sodoko turned red. "But then who else will do this?" She demanded.

Pazomi smiled. "Just let it drop for one night." She said.

Sodoko groaned. "Fine. I don't care anymore."

Gomoyo grabbed her by the shoulders. "That's the spirit!" She encouraged.

…..

Anzu munched on sweet dried potatoes, lying on the tarp she brought.

"Sure is a nice night." Yuzu sang next to her. "Momo-chan. Join us!" She shouted to Momo, who was sitting down looking through several papers.

"I can't! I have to do this work. And don't call me Momo-chan!" She shouted back angrily.

Anzu sat up. "Come on, chillax. Stop working for once," She said.

"President, please work!" Momo retorted.

Anzu smiled as she threw a sweet dried potato in her mouth. "There's nothing wrong with relaxing. Have fun. This might be our last time," She whistled.

Momo froze. She stood up and walked over to Anzu and Yuzu. "Fine. Just this once," She grumbled.

"Great!" Yuzu clapped her hands together.

The three looked on as the Senshadou club having fun.

"Should we join?" Yuzu asked.

Anzu shook her head. "Nah. I'd rather watch," A smile crept on her face. "What a great club this has been." She said.

Yuzu nodded in agreement. "We had so much fun together,"

"We've overcome so many obstacles and made new friends. This year has been an exciting one," Momo added.

Tears began welling up in Anzu's eyes. "Thank you all for supporting me. I couldn't have done it without you these three years," Yuzu hugged her, "It's been a pleasure being with you." She said happily.

"President…" Momo said.

"It's been the best three years of my life," Anzu continued. "And to the rest of the Senshadou team. They made me so happy and proud. They will always be my frie…" She couldn't finish as she covered her mouth with her hand, tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Don't cry, president," Yuzu told her, despite being overwhelmed by tears as well.

Momo removed her monocle. "These memories will be the treasured forever," She murmured.

Suddenly the night was lit up by fireworks. Light illuminated against the field, showering the girls below with a spectacle of dozens of dazzling colors.

"President?" Yuzu and Momo look down in surprise.

Anzu grinned mischievously. "I have my ways," She laughed. Yuzu and Momo look at each other and start to laugh as well.

 **Kuala Dungun, Malaysia**

Lady Wu slowly took a sip of her green tea, sitting on top of her tank.

"Lady Wu, that's dangerous. Enemy snipers may get you!" A soldier cried, but Lady Wu raised her hand.

"Not on this quiet night." She said. She looked up at the bright moon. "What a wondrous moon. How generous it is to light itself on an unholy soldiers such as myself." The wind picked up, blowing her long black hair. She took a look at her phone. Looking through her contacts, she found Mi-jing and smiled. _So today you were beat by the one you thought to be a greenhorn._ She thought. _Nishizumi Maho, what a person. I would like to meet her someday, whether on the battlefield or not is not of my concern._ Drinking the tea, she gazed at the yellow moon above.


	18. Close Combat

**Chapter seventeen: Close Combat**

 _A young Maho was sitting in a seat, looking out the window. Below her was the blue ocean, covered by thin sheets of white clouds. She looked to her right, and saw her mother sitting next to her, with Miho on her lap. "Where are we going again?" She asked._

 _Her mother smiled. "We're going to an international Senshadou tournament," She explained._

 _Maho grinned. "So people from all over the world are coming?" She asked._

 _Shiho nodded. "Yes. People and tanks are coming from all over the world to compete," She looked down. "I have a friend who has a daughter around Miho's age." She said._

" _My age?" Miho bounced up and down._

 _Shiho gently grabbed her by the shoulders. "Yes, and she is a shy girl, and I hope you will become great friends with her,"_

" _Okay!" Miho exclaimed._

 _Shiho patted her head. "She might even become your sister," She said._

 _Maho looked at her. "A new sister?" She asked._

 _Shiho nodded. "You girls need a father figure, and she needs a mother figure. So my friend and I were thinking of moving in together," She said._

 _Maho grinned. "Another sister will be great!" She shouted._

" _Yes, it would be," Shiho said in agreement. She grabbed Maho and Miho and pulled them in her. "You two are going to have so much fun." She said, and the two little girls squeal in response._

"Commander!" Maho's eyes snap open in the commander's seat. "What?" She asked.

"We're going to move out in a bit. Want some coffee?" The driver asked.

Maho nodded. "Thanks," She yawned and stretched in what little room she had. _What the hell was that dream?_ She thought. _It seemed more like a memory though... but I have no recollection of that happening. And mother was unusually cheerful, was she always like that?_ She sighed. _I have a feeling it's something important._

"Here you go commander," The driver passed Maho a cup of coffee, who took it with surprise.

"How did you get this?" Maho asked.

"Well, St. Gloriana makes tea in their tanks, so I thought it would be nice to place a coffee machine in here," The driver said.

Maho took a sip of coffee. _It's good._ She thought. She opened the cupola and she leaned out of the Panzer X. All around her soldiers were running around, carrying ammunition and jerry cans.

"Nishizumi!" She turned to her right and saw an officer walking towards her.

"Yes, sir?" She asked.

"We're going on the offensive in an hour or so. Prepare yourself and your crews for action. The enemy is on last position in Nago, so this can go either be really easy or extremely hard," He said, "There's enemy defensive positions just by the city corner over there." He pointed forwards. "You'll encounter the usual; anti tank grenades and mines, rockets and trenches. I want you to lead the vanguard of the attack," He explained.

Maho nodded. "Alright. Got it,"

…..

Maho was eating rations with her crew when Hiroi came walking over.

"Hey!" He waved.

Maho nodded her head. "Morning," She said.

Hiroi yawned. "So, today is the big day," He said.

"Yeah," Maho agreed. "Hopefully we'll get some rest after this." She said hopefully.

"Yeah, though I doubt they will let us have one. We've been pushing them back for quite a while, and we can't afford to waste time," Hiroi breathed out. "The air force is going to attack their positions right about-" The roar of engines drown out all conversation as several jets fly over the Japanese positions. "-now." Hiroi finished. Several moments later the loud sounds of several explosions echoed across the city. "Hell yeah!" He shouted. "Blow'em up!"

"All troops, prepare to move out!" The order resonated throughout the camp.

"Well then," Hiroi began to walk away. "I'm off. Good luck to you, Maho."

"You too." Maho called out, before turning to her crew. "You heard the order. Get the Panzer ready."

…...

Within several minutes Maho was in her commander's seat, peering at the line of Panzers behind her. She raised her hand to her throat. "Alright ladies, this is the big push. Work hard and diligently, we'll finish this up in no time," She said coolly, "Panzer vor!"

Three dozen Panzers revved their engines, gravel and mud flying everywhere from the moving treads. Maho roared forward, leading the charge. Beside the Panzers trailed the APCs and IFVs, carrying the infantry to the battlefield.

Within fifteen minutes rockets and missiles begin flying from the North Korean positions, missing Maho and exploding behind the column. The Panzer X fired at the direction of the enemy, and a ball of fire engulfed one unfortunate trench, blowing the occupants into smithereens. Bullets whizzed around, bouncing off the Panzer armor and impacting against the ground.

The APCs and IFVs began firing their cannons as the infantry dismounted. A man was shot in the chest, and he staggered backwards into the dirt. A Type 96 APC exploded as a rocket makes direct impact. Maho's Panzer X aimed at a two-story building, where two men were aiming a anti-tank missile. Maho subsequently destroyed it with her Panzer. She winced as her Panzer crushes several North Korean bodies. "Don't advance too far," She warned her driver, who stopped the tank.

"Keep the infantry covered," Maho ordered. The machine gun proceeds to begin mowing down North Koreans who are struggling to find cover against the Japanese onslaught. Bullets find their targets as soldiers fall to the ground, pierced in the body and head by the thousands of bullets that are launched at their way.

….

But this didn't mean the defending North Koreans weren't giving the Japanese a hard time. For the infantry out in the open, the only thing keeping them alive is hugging the ground while bullets fly above them, using their dead comrades as cover. Five soldiers were shot to ribbons as they ran across the open ground to hide behind a small boulder.

Kaito and Tanya were lying on the ground, pinned under fire.

"What the hell are we supposed to do?" Kaito hissed at Tanya.

"Just kill enough of them until they can't hold their positions," Tanya answered as she fired a barrage of bullets at the entrenched North Koreans, killing two.

"Dammit, we don't have time for that," Kaito muttered. "If only this thing could extend." He looked at his guntō.

"Kaito-sama, please stop daydreaming in a time such as now," Tanya growled.

Kaito sighed. "What else am I supposed to do?"

Tanya shrugged. "Wait," She sent out another burst, this taking down a sniper from a building. She unbuckled a grenade from her belt and pulled the pin. She hurled the grenade with all her strength towards the enemy trenches. The trench exploded, throwing several troops into the air. She grinned as she reloaded her Type 20. "This is why you need a rifle, Kaito-sama," She jeered, and Kaito clicked his teeth in annoyance.

…...

The turret of a Type 89 IFV burst into flame on Maho's left, who continued to spray down North Korean soldiers caught in the open. Bloody bodies littered the streets as the battle lines slowly crept forward. Two rockets flew towards Maho, but she maneuvered her Panzer to avoid contact.

" _Commander! Enemy reinforcements coming around the street corner at four o'clock!"_ Maho's radio crackled. She waved her hand to the right, and six Panzers rumbled forwards to intercept the enemy reserves. Explosions rocked the tank back and forth, but none really damaging it in any way.

 _Damn, are there mortars?_ Maho cursed to herself.

"Commander, please get inside, it's way too dangerous!" Her loader screamed, and Maho slumped inside, closing the hatch.

"Drive up to the trenches and destroy any remaining enemies." She ordered. The Panzer X rolled forwards until it was right up against the North Korean trenches, crushing barbed wire and weapons. The troops manning the trenches scrambled out in a panic, only to be gunned down from behind. Their bodies either fell down backwards into the trench or were pushed down to the ground from the bullets.

…..

By now the infantry were able to get up and advance behind the wall of armor. Kaito and Tanya end up behind Maho's Panzer X.

Kaito unsheathed his guntō with anticipation. "Finally, my time to shine," He said excitedly.

"Not so fast, commander," Earl Grey dashed to the Panzer X, "Have you heard this saying: 'Grain by brain a loaf, stone by stone, a castle'?" She quipped.

Kaito stared at her. "What?" He demanded.

Earl Grey smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, a bad habit I got from the time I spent at St. Gloriana. This girl kept on saying quotes all the time," She said.

Tanya rolled her eyes. "What she's saying is to be patient," She exclaimed.

Kaito sighed. "Fine," he mumbled.

Hiroi fired his Type 20 as he dashed to the the wall of the first building by the North Korean defense. He managed to take down four enemy soldiers as he hugged the wall. _They sure are stubborn..._ he thought as Nishi and Lasagna ran to the building.

"That was close," Lasagna panted.

"So, sir. What's the situation here?" Nishi asked Hiroi.

He wiped his brow. "Well, we definitely have the advantage here. It's really up to how many tricks the damn Koreans have up their sleeves. We've taken pretty heavy casualties trying to even make a dent in their defenses, and they're pouring all their reserves here, as if they know if we breakthrough here they'll fall apart," He quickly reloaded his Type 20 and leaned out from the corner of the building, after taking a few potshots, he took cover as bullets skimmed the corner. "They're damn stubborn, and they're not half bad either," He noted. "I don't see any enemy tanks." Bullets ricocheted off the wall, forcing Hiroi to move back. He heard the distinct _whirring_ of several helicopters from above. "Oh shit." He muttered. "Take cover!" He shouted.

….

"Commander! Four enemy helicopters incoming!" Maho's driver shouted.

"Damn it! Just try to avoid drawing their fire." Maho ordered.

A North Korean helicopter aimed its machine guns and cannons at the Panzer X and fired. Dozens of shells and bullets bounced around the tanks, blowing two up in a fiery explosion. The crew scrambled out of their vehicles, screaming while burning up. Several more tanks were detracked, but still serviceable.

Maho's Panzer X was swayed back and forth by the hail of bullets, and the crew screamed in terror. Maho gritted her teeth. The helicopters advanced through the Japanese lines, strafing the infantry and vehicles. "God damn it…" She muttered. "Aim for the helicopter!" She ordered. The Panzer X turret turned, following one helicopter. The barrel pointed a few feet in front of the helicopter, and fired. The shell sailed across the sky, hitting its target. The helicopter fell down to the Earth, leaving a trail of smoke and flames. The pilot jumped out of the burning helicopter, but was unable to activate his parachute. He fell like an anvil, splattering against the hard ground.

The three other helicopters continued strafing the troops below, killing dozens of soldiers and destroying several more vehicles. Anti-aircraft guns and rockets fire at the helicopters, all of them missing. It was when Japanese helicopters appeared did the North Korean helicopters fall back.

"Advance!" Maho ordered, and the Panzers began to move forwards, pushing the already strained defenses back even more.

"We're finally pushing them back," Hiroi sighed with relief. He fired off a shot before dashing across the street.

Kaito and Tanya looked over from the Panzer X.

"I guess we can advance now," Tanya noted. "You can do your thing now."

Kaito grinned. "Thanks," With that he dashed out from the Panzer X and into the street.

"I guess I have to go chase him now," Tanya groaned.

Earl Grey smiled. "Go ahead," She said. Tanya glared at her, before going after Kaito.

….

The Japanese broke through the North Korean defense, and began to advance through the city.

Maho directed her Panzer X through the narrow streets, destroying sandbag positions and buildings filled with North Koreans. "Don't let them retreat or regroup." She ordered. The Panzer X fired at a group of North Korean troops, killing six, and wounding the rest. The machine gun finished off the rest.

Kaito ran through the main street, slashing and hacking through North Koreans. His guntō was dripping red with blood. Tanya and Earl Grey followed behind, taking down any North Korean daring to shoot Kaito down.

"Don't advance too far, Kaito-sama," Tanya called.

Kaito gave a thumbs up. He jumped in front of a North Korean officer, who tried to shoot him with his kneed him in the gut and stabbed him in through the throat. He pulled his guntō out and pushed the body to the ground. He sprinted out of the road as several North Koreans took aim at him. He rolled behind a brick wall. He unpinned a grenade and tossed it across the street, landing at the roadblock. It exploded, throwing bodies and wooden splinters everywhere.

"Yes!" He laughed. Tanya ran up from behind. She took aim at a second story window and fired three successive shots. The soldier fell out of the window and landed on a car.

…..

"Let's do this!" Lasagna shouted as he sprayed a dozen North Koreans down.

"Calm down, you're presenting yourself as a target," Nishi warned.

Lasagna laughed. "Let them try!" Nishi only groaned and continued to fire at the North Koreans.

"Please, let's not argue!" Naoki shouted. He reloaded his rifle and ducked behind a car. "Focus on the fight, then argue!"

…..

Several M1992 APCs created a fireline against Maho and the several Panzers with her. They began firing, but all of them missed.

"Fire!" Maho shouted, and the Panzers fired back. Three M1992s erupted into flames, while several others silenced their guns. "Let's move forward!" She ordered, and the Panzer group pushed the wreckage apart as they continued to go down the street.

They entered a small plaza, filled with more trenches and sandbags. As they began filing in the plaza erupted with gunfire, all centering on Maho. The entire Panzer X was racked by bullets. It rocked back and forth, but otherwise did no harm.

"Do not halt! Continue the assault!" Maho shouted. The Panzer X shrugged off all attacks and began firing back, bullets tearing through human bodies. The panzers scattered, covering the entire plaza. The North Koreans wavered, and began to retreat.

"This is it! Attack!" Maho said confidently. The Panzers started to push towards the retreating North Koreans, gunning down dozens of soldiers from behind. Suddenly the soldiers dispersed, revealing a heavily defended line, lined up with anti-tank rockets and missiles pointed directly at Maho. "Fall back!" She cried, and the Panzers tried desperately to retreat.

" _Commander, there are several enemy tanks surround-"_ Maho eyes widened as the radio transmission turned to static, and heard a loud explosion. She opened up the hatch and looked around.

They were surrounded by several Chonma-Ho and Pokpung-Ho tanks, covering all their escape routes. Before she could react, they all fired at the same time.

The result was devastating. Four Panzers were now alight, the crew stuck inside to burn alive. One Panzer even exploded like a firecracker. One round penetrated a Panzer X and shattered, showering the crewmembers with thousands of hot metal shards. The Panzers were hopelessly stuck without any means of escape.

 _God damn it! Because of my stupidity, we're all going to die!_ Maho thought bitterly to herself. _How are we going to get out of here?_ She thought desperately for a way to escape, but couldn't see any way out.

Suddenly two Chonma-Ho tanks exploded, the shells coming from behind. Maho looked over in surprise. Several more North Koreans fell victim to a series of explosions. The radio Maho held crackled to life as a high-pitched voice began screaming.

" _What are you bitches doing? Santiago y Cierra!"_

From out of nowhere a AMX-31 E came flying into the ranks of the North Korean tanks. It collided with a Pokpung-Ho and fired at point blank range. It exploded and the AMX-31 quickly moved back. From the alleyway several Type 10 tanks came rolling forwards. Within a minute all the North Korean tanks were destroyed.

Maho smiled as the AMX-31 E came to a halt next to the Panzer X.

The cupola opened and a girl with curly brown hair popped out. "Señora Maho, nice to see you," She said.

Maho nodded. "Good to see you too, La Caudilla," She replied.

* * *

 **Terms:**

" **AMX-31 E"(Original Tank): A Spanish Tank created in early 2023, it was sent to Germany to aid in its effort to push the Russian advance back from Berlin.**

" **La Caudilla": I don't know if this is an actual word but it's supposed to be the female version of "El Caudillo", which is a Spanish term for dictators throughout Iberia and South America.**


	19. Liberation

**Chapter eighteen: Liberation**

Maho and the girl both got out of their respective tanks.

"Maho! It's been so long!" The girl launched herself into Maho's arms.

Maho grinned. "Same for you, Francesca,"

Francesca looked up. "Congratulations on beating the University team," She said.

"Thanks," Maho replied.

Francesca stood back up. "So, I guess things have been hard for you here," She said.

Maho nodded. "Yeah, it's been pretty stressful. I had to kill people, and friends died around me," She said.

"Oh. Sorry," Francisca said.

Maho shook her head. "No, no. It's fine. Anyways, why are you here?" She asked.

Francisca gave a smug smile. "My school ship was near Okinawa so they decided to send us as part of the reinforcements. We may not be one of the big shots but we can still pack a punch!" She exclaimed.

Maho nodded. "It's good to have you as an ally," She said.

"Maho!" Maho looked over and saw Kaito and Hiroi running over.

"Are you alright?" Kaito asked.

"I'm fine," Maho answered.

Hiroi looked at Francisca. "Who's that?" He asked.

"Oh, this is Francisca, the commander of the Senshadou team from Blue Division High School," Maho introduced.

Francisca ran over to Kaito and Hiroi. "Who are these los chicos?" She demanded.

"Uh, Kaito," Kaito stammered out.

"Hiroi," Hiroi introduced himself.

Francesca squealed. "Maho, you're surrounded by hot guys!" She shouted.

Maho turned her head. "Kaito's my half-brother. And Hiroi is older than me," She mumbled.

"That doesn't matter!" Francesca shouted.

"What the hell is Blue Division?" Kaito mumbled.

Francisca turned on him, forcing him to step back.

Maho stepped up. "Blue Division High School is a minor school-"

"What the hell does that mean?" Francisca intervened.

Maho shrugged. "It's not one of the big, famous schools." She said, and Francisca pouted.

"Okay, I get it," Kaito said. "Anyways, we have to continue pushing the enemy back."

Maho walked back to her Panzer X. "I guess we have to go back to the fight," She mumbled.

Francisca jumped on Maho. "Well, good luck!" She said.

"You too," Maho replied.

…..

"So the enemy is concentrated around here?" Hiroi pointed at the map of Nago.

"Yes, they're mostly centered around the Nago Special Support School and the city offices. They have around 12,000 troops left, with around twenty six tanks and nine helicopters. There were also reports of ships evacuating enemy troops out of Nago, so we'll have to call in the air force and navy to destroy them. We'll swing the 4th, 75th and 118th regiments through the left, while we'll use the Kuromorimine and Azul brigades to take Nago Junior High School and Okinawa Prefectural Hokubu Hospital. The Emperor's regiment will strike by Omiya Elementary School and the City office," The officer explained.

….

"So we'll head to the hospital?" Maho asked.

" _Yeah, and there might still be patients, though it's unlikely. But try to be careful,_ " Hiroi reaffirmed from the other side.

Maho nodded. "Thanks. We outnumber them significantly, so this will hopefully end quickly in our favor,"

" _Señora, when will we head out_?" Francisca's voice came out from the radio.

"Now," Maho answered.

" _Si, at your command!"_ The high pitched voice confidently boomed.

Maho smiled. "Nice to see you excited. To all ladies; This is our last push to liberate this city. We will not stop until the enemy is shattered! Push through sweat and blood, and we will make it out alive and victorious!" From the radio Maho could hear the cheering of the girls from the rest of the Panzers. "For Kuromorimine and Blue Division! For victory! Panzer Vor!" She shouted.

" _You heard her! Hacia adelante!_ " Francisca enthusiastically added.

Simultaneously sixteen tanks roared to life, drowning all other noise as they began their iron assault against the crumbling North Koreans.

Maho looked up as they drove through the city, watching the missiles in the sky fly over them. They descended into the city where they disappeared, only for Maho to watch several huge, orange explosions rise above the silhouette of the buildings. "Remember, if you see an enemy, eliminate him immediately." she said.

" _Where are we going first?"_ Francisca asked.

Maho thought for a minute. "The High School. We're already on the route there," She decided. "Turn right!" She ordered, and the Panzer column veered to the right, going down the big road.

 _No resistance. Maybe they're only protecting certain positions until they're able to retreat,_ Maho thought. _We really did a lot of damage to them…_ She could hear distant gunshots, telling her that the battle was still going.

"Objective straight ahead!" Maho's driver shouted. Maho looked forwards. Indeed, she could see the tall school building.

The right of Maho became heavily wooded. Maho became increasingly nervous. The enemy could pop out at any moment. Sweat dripped down her face. She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. After a moment of thought her eyes snapped back open with a renewed vigor.

"Commander! Pokpung-Ho tank at the street corner up ahead!" Her driver shouted.

Maho scowled, but also felt relief. _Finally, the enemy is showing himself,_ She thought. "Destroy it!" She shouted. The barrel exploded as it fired a shell at the enemy. The shell propelled itself forwards, hitting the Pokpung-Ho right in the turret. The turret burst into flames right as the shell made contact. The cupola opened and a tall fiery fountain spewed out, along with the screaming crew members who tried to crawl out of the burning coffin.

"Forwards!" Maho ordered, and the Panzer group gunned forwards. Suddenly from the forest came running out nearly a dozen North Korean soldiers, armed with grenades and rockets. "Fools! Why did they run out like that?" She spat out before turning the machine gun on them. She began cutting them down, systematically firing three bullets into each soldier in succession.

From the two school buildings in view machine gun fire began spitting bullets at Maho. Maho ducked into the tank as the bullets hit the hatch above. "Halt," She ordered, and the Panzer X sputtered to a halt. "Aim for the second story." She told her gunner, who turned the barrel upwards. She fired, and the building exploded.

Maho smiled. "Good job," She said. The Panzer X began to advance again, but stopped at the T junction, when several rockets flew past the Panzer X. On both sides lay several North Koreans in trenches, reloading their rockets. Several more Panzers rode up next to Maho, and turned their turrets to either side. The bombardment that lasted approximately five seconds killed all the ambushing North Koreans.

From the school building came even more small arms fire, making no dent in the thick armor of the advancing Panzers. Maho swiveled up her machine gun and fired at the windows, suppressing the North Koreans. _Where's the infantry?_ Maho thought to herself. As if on cue around one hundred Japanese infantrymen began storming the school buildings.

They broke down the entrance doors, which were blocked with furniture and desks from the inside. The Japanese and North Koreans began a bloody close quarters fight, battling in each room and floor. Using grenades, bayonets and rifles, the Japanese cleared bunkers the North Koreans constructed out of the school desks and tables, across corridors and stairwells. In the auditorium fifty soldiers from both sides began a brawl, with bullets bouncing around the entire room. Grenades blew up entire rows of seats, and the North Koreans stacked sandbags on top the stadium to gun down any Japanese soldier that entered through the main entrance. The Japanese had to resort to using flamethrowers to burn out the defenders in the auditorium. The Japanese were slowly but surely winning the battle in the two front buildings.

Maho drove her Panzer X right next to the main building, by the sports field. In the field were the usual trenches and machine gun positions the North Koreans dug into.

Francisca's AMX-31 E halted next to Maho. She smiled at Maho. "This is more fun that I thought!" She said cheerfully.

"You have a very strange definition of fun," Maho retorted.

"I was always called weird," Francisca said. The turret of the AMX-31 E turned right, and fired at the center trench. Throwing sand and soldiers into the air, the trench collapsed from the explosion. Japanese infantry began storming the trenches, shooting down the now hapless North Koreans. The North Koreans attempt to flee, but are gunned down by the tanks and infantry.

The main building was secured in an hour, with almost all the defenders dead. The Japanese suffered fifty killed in the assault.

Maho looked at her map. "We have to turn right on the main road and then go straight until Kita Heiwa Dori," She said.

Francisca nodded. "Then what?" She asked.

"We'll meet up with the others at the city office." Maho answered.

The Panzer column began their march towards the hospital in high spirits.

"This is so easy!" Francisca shouted.

"Well, you did enter at the late game," Maho noted. "In the beginning it was very hard."

The Panzers moved quickly through the road, pushing roadblocks and sandbags manned by dead soldiers out of the way.

" _Commander, enemy field position!_ " A Panzer commander radioed Maho.

"All tanks, fire at two o'clock!" Maho ordered. The entire Panzer column turned their turrets and fired a salvo at the position. The sandbags was blasted by a dozen explosions, completely erasing the existence of the North Korean position.

The Panzer group continued on their way to the hospital. Maho looked up and saw the large hospital building closing in on them. She winced when flashes of light came from the roof. "Take evasive manoeuvres!" She shouted. The Panzers dispersed as explosions made craters in the road. "They have anti tank weapons on the roof," She told Francisca through the radio.

" _We gotta sort this thing out quick,_ " Francisca replied.

They drove right up to the hospital, only to be stopped by the sandbags and trenches of the ground, and the machine guns on every floor of the hospital. Japanese soldiers surrounded the entire building, running across the parking lot and taking cover behind cars.

Maho drove up to the middle of the parking lot. "Support the infantry attack!" She ordered. The Panzer column spread out, covering the entire lot. The Panzers and infantry slowly crossed the parking lot together, taking out any hiding North Korean soldier and destroying defensive barriers. The North Koreans decided to fall back inside the hospital itself, barricading the doors and windows.

"Take us up to the door," Maho told her driver. The Panzer X rolled up in front of the door. "Fire!" She shouted. The door shattered into a thousand wooden pieces as the shell tore through it. The infantry stormed through the hole, killing the surprised defenders. They ran upstairs, only to encounter dozens of enemies on each floor, sprawled across the various hospital rooms.

The infantry did not find any patients in the hospital. They scoured the entire building, killing hiding North Koreans and uncovering coffins and graves full of dead civilians in hospital gowns. Enraged, the Japanese took no prisoners in the hospital. Gunshots echoed throughout the halls as squads of North Koreans were executed in firing lines. Eventually the Japanese flag was hoisted over the hospital roof.

Maho sighed with relief. "Good job. Now we'll have to assist in the attack against the city office,"

…..

Omiya Elementary School was a bloody battleground as the Japanese and North Koreans fought to control the school.

"Don't let them regroup!" Kaito shouted as he swung his guntō downwards through a North Korean soldier. He gripped his guntō and ran through a North Korean officer through his heart.

"Kaito-sama, please don't get excited from this," Tanya groaned as she fired her rifle across the field.

"Come on, we're so close to beating them," Kaito retorted. Several North Korean soldiers surrounded Kaito, bearing down with their bayonets. However, Kaito slashed through three of them and ducked out of the way as the rest of the North Koreans stumbled through the three bodies.

The five North Koreans were gunned down trying to chase down Kaito, who jumped back in surprise. He turned around and saw Lasagna with his Type 20, grinning.

"C'mon, commander. You gotta do better than that!" Lasagna said.

Kaito grinned. "Sure thing, buddy,"

"Look out, enemy tank!" Nishi shouted.

Kaito looked around and saw a Pokpung-Ho tank bearing down on him. _Oh, fuck,_ He thought. He began running full speed backwards to the Japanese lines as the tank began firing its machine gun at him. "Aaah!" he jumped over a car and landed with a hard _thud._ The car behind him exploded as the tank barrel smoked.

"Commander!" Nishi aimed a Type 01 LMAT at the tank. She fired and the missile flew at the tank. Seconds later the entire vehicle blew up, throwing burning pieces of the chassis fly over Kaito.

"Thanks a lot." He called out. Nishi gave a thumbs up.

Four Type 10 MBTs entered the field, blasting the North Korean soldiers to oblivion.

"We're pushing them into the main school building!" Tanya shouted.

"After them!" Kaito ordered.

…...

Kaito and Tanya leaned against the wall up against the door.

"Get a grenade out," Kaito said. Tanya unbuckled a grenade and tossed it through the crack of the door. She slammed the door shut, and felt the explosion when the door shuddered. She slowly opened the door and pointed her rifle in the barren room. She opened the door open and entered the room. Kaito and the rest of the regiment followed in.

The hallway was riddled with bullets as the machine gun at the end fired at the crawling Japanese.

"God!" Kaito muttered.

"Let me get him," Earl Grey whispered, and aimed her Type 11 grenade launcher. The grenade howled as it sailed across the hallway, landing right on top of the machine gunner. The ceiling toppled on the position, crushing the soldiers.

"Let's go," Kaito said. They got up and ran forwards, past the crushed position.

Kaito broke through the classroom door, landing on top of a North Korean soldier. He struggled and screamed but Kaito quickly slit his throat. The other North Koreans looked on in surprise as Tanya and Nishi stormed in, gunning them all down.

….

Earl Grey and Naoki was in the auditorium.

"Damn it, we're outnumbered," Naoki muttered. Earl Grey smiled as she fired her grenade launcher across the room. One row exploded, throwing soldiers and chairs into the air. Naoki fired his Type 20 at the scurrying enemy soldiers.

"I guess this is okay," Naoki mumbled. He emptied his magazine and he ducked down to reload. "I wonder how many are left."

Earl Grey shrugged. "It really doesn't matter," She said. She shot another grenade, which blows up at the corner of the auditorium.

…...

"They're holed up in the cafeteria," Tanya said, as they looked over the corner.

Kaito shrugged. "Let's blow them up," He said.

Tanya groaned as Kaito jumped out of cover and ran into the cafeteria. "God damn it," She muttered as she chased after Kaito.

It took several minutes to clear out the cafeteria.

Kaito grinned as he cut down the last North Korean soldier. "Finally, level clear," He said.

Tanya stretched her legs. "Alright, we retook the school. Now we have to go to the city office," She told him.

Kaito looked at her. "Are you serious?" He demanded.

Tanya glared at him. "We have to," She said.

They got on an IFV, which began driving towards the city office. "Let's do this," Kaito exclaimed. Tanya reloaded her rifle.

As they neared the City Office they met up with Maho's Panzer column.

"Good day, Maho!" Kaito called at Maho.

Maho smiled and waved back. "How was your day?" She asked sarcastically.

Kaito grinned. "Fine, thank you very much. How about you?" He retorted.

"It was very explosive," Maho answered. They both began laughing. Tanya rolled her eyes and went back to her rifle.

They stopped short of the City Office, with Kaito and Tanya getting off while Maho continued to drive on with her Panzer.

"This is their headquarters. If we take them out their entire defense will crumble," Maho said.

Kaito nodded in agreement. "Let's go!" He shouted.

The field was already covered in a firefight, as the Japanese troops stood behind trees and hedges, fighting the North Koreans firing from the windows up above.

"Maho, we need support!" Kaito shouted.

Maho nodded and drove her Panzer into the field, followed by Francisca's AMX-31 E. "Fire at the second story window." She ordered. The turret creaked as it turned, aiming at the sniper above. With a deafening _boom_ the window shattered and the sniper flew back.

"Suppress that floor!" Francisca shouted, and the AMX-31 E began firing its machine gun at the third story building.

The infantry began their assault, able to cross the field because of the armor support. Naturally Kaito led the charge, holding his guntō high. Soldiers around him fell down, cut down by machine gun fire, but he pushed on. Earl Grey fired her grenade launcher, and one window was covered in dust.

They breached the door and began their final push. Room after room saw the walls streaked with blood as the North Koreans were mercilessly killed by the Japanese, who were driven by a sense of impending victory. Kaito climbed opened the hatch that held the ladder that led to the ladder. He began climbing, followed by Tanya and Lasagna. When he reached the roof, Kaito saw several North Koreans manning machine guns and snipers. He silently walked up to them and began quickly pushing them over the edge. The North Koreans fell over, landing on the hard ground below. The ones that survived were killed by the troops on the ground.

"They're running!" Someone shouted. Kaito looked over the edge, and saw at least one hundred North Korean soldiers running away from the front. Panicking, many had dropped their weapons and equipment, heading towards the pier.

"Ladies, chase them down!" Maho ordered, and the crew wholeheartedly began hunting down the fleeing enemy. Using machine gun and cannon, they wiped out entire platoons in a single strike. From the back of the City Office Kaito ran out, joining the chase. North Korean soldiers that tried to surrender were quickly shot down, by the Japanese who were joyous in victory and anger at the mistreatment of civilians by their enemies.

The North Koreans led them to the pier, where there were several boats prepared to evacuate them. In the distance were several large barges, stuffed with North Korean soldiers. Motor boats began to sail away from the pier, but lucky shots from Maho's Panzer sunk them, with several unlucky soldiers, laden with heavy equipment, drowning in the dark, cold water.

Kaito looked at the transport ships in the distance. "God damn, how do we get them," He mumbled.

Maho sighed. "It doesn't matter now. We've finally done it,"

Suddenly a huge, red explosion rocked one of the transports. The Japanese watched with anticipation as several more explosions tore the ship apart. They saw hundreds of specks, sailors and soldiers, fall into the water. The ship exploded one last time and sank, its bow high in the air.

"It's the air force!" Francisca shouted, and the rest of the soldiers began to hoot and shout as Jets began launching more missiles at the rest of the fleet. Within twenty minutes all transports were hit, with fires engulfing entire decks of two ships. The bow of one ship exploded, and the insides of the ship was exposed. Hundreds of people struggled to stay afloat as the suction caused by the sinking ships pulled them into the water. It didn't help when jets and helicopters flew over, strafing those unfortunate in the water.

The entire fleet was in ruins. No ship was left alive as the air force continued to brutally pound the survivors for hours.

Maho and Kaito stared simply at the wreckage from afar.

"I can't believe it…" Maho muttered.

"We did it…" Kaito added.

"We beat them…" Tanya continued.

"We took back our city!" Francisca hollered at the top of her lungs.

Tanya grabbed Kaito in a bear hug. "We did it Kaito-sama!" She cried.

Kaito looked at her in disbelief. "Yeah, we did,"

Maho wiped her eyes. "This is just the beginning, but we're doing it," She said.

"Hell yeah!" Hiroi jumped on Maho's Panzer.

Maho stared at him. "Where were you?" She asked.

Hiroi shrugged. "Doing other things," He replied.

Maho looked out at the sea again. "Anyways, I can tell Miho that I've accomplished something today,"

"Sure thing! Tell her she has the best older sister in the world!" Francisca leaned in.

Maho smiled. "I have the best younger sister in the world," She told her.


	20. Loll in the Fighting

**Chapter nineteen: Loll in the fighting**

The battle of Nago lasted three weeks, and was one of the bloodiest battles in the Okinawan campaign so far. Out of the 12,000 North Korean casualties, only 2,000 became prisoners. 4,000 Japanese troops were killed, with another 7,000 wounded. There were also massive civilian casualties: 20,000 killed in the battle or killed by the North Koreans. The ones that led the battle, namely the Kuromorimine, Blue Division and the Emperor's Regiment became instant celebrities in the mainland.

 **JSDF Strategic HQ, Ichigaya, Tokyo, Japan, June 25th**

" _And late yesterday the JSDF has scored a great victory in Okinawa. After several weeks we have…_ " The TV switched off as Shiho pressed the remote. She looked outside. There were celebrations out in the streets, with people waving flags around.

"Things have improved, huh," Sakurai entered the room, plopping down on a seat next to Shiho. "Your daughter's actually doing pretty good."

Shiho nodded. "Thank you," She said.

Sakurai looked at her. "Maho might even get a medal for her actions," He got out a cigarette. "Doesn't that make mommy proud?" He prodded her.

"It's only natural. The Nishizumi Style triumphs all," Shiho said irritably.

Sakurai scoffed. "But because now she's one of the few bloodied soldiers in the army, she'll probably be sent to other battlefronts as well,"

"I can't do anything about that…" Shiho grumbled. There was a knock at the door.

"Come in." Sakurai waved the person in.

A soldier saluted. "This is for Miss-Nishizumi-"

"Spit it out." Shiho ordered.

The soldier gulped. "Well, a new position was created in the government; the Ministry of Public Morale and Propaganda. The Minister is-" He gulped once again. "-Nishizumi Kijiro." He uttered.

Shiho's face turned pale. "He what?" She demanded.

The soldier fixed his collar. "He was given that position for his role in sending Kuromorimine to Okinawa," The soldier sputtered out. "He's made the enrollment of the All-Japanese Youths Association mandatory for children 8-16, and up to 18 voluntary with free college tuition. He also made the National Motor Corps, National Flying Corps and National Marine Corps as mandatory choices in school clubs and extracurricular activities."

"He is literally turning the youth into his private army!" Shiho slammed her fist against the table.

"Now now, calm down," Sakurai told her.

"No point getting angry over something that already happened," Shiho slumped down on the table. "I seriously need some rest." She muttered.

 **Nago, Okinawa, June 25th**

The streets were swept clean of bodies and vehicles, while debris was being cleared off. Civilians were trickling back into their city, with most of the houses destroyed. Jets flew over the city, bombing the North Korean ships out at sea. Artillery belched shells across the island, with the explosions rising over the horizon.

Tanya and Kaito were loitering around the City Hall, the temporary military HQ.

"So what now?" Kaito asked.

Tanya shrugged. "We'll have some rest. We've fought for weeks, so now's the time to relax," She said.

Kaito groaned. "Come on. There's nothing to do," He complained.

Naoki stepped outside. "Your welcome to help the cleaning efforts, commander," He offered.

Kaito waved his hand. "No, too much work," He said.

Tanya rolled her eyes. "You've been fighting nonstop for weeks. And now you're complaining?" She glared at Kaito.

….

Nishi and Lasagna were sitting inside a restaurant, drinking and eating to their heart's content.

"These are the best recipes!" Lasagna explained.

Nishi looked at him, her mouth stuffed with food. "Hm-mm." She swallowed. "This fish is delicious!" She shouted.

The waiter looked at them. "I hope you two can pay for all of this," He said. They both looked at him.

"Are you serious?" Nishi shouted.

"This is not the thanks we deserve!" Lasagna demanded. The waiter, with a face filled with worry, slowly walked away.

….

Hiroi was smoking a cigarette, looking out into the sea. The smoke slowly rose up into the sky before disappearing. He threw the cigarette butt into the ocean.

"That's harming the environment," Hiroi turned around and saw Earl Grey walking up to him.

"I don't think it matters after we turned this entire city into a wasteland." Hiroi told her.

Earl Grey shook her head in disappointment. "Hiroi-san, we should always strive to make this Earth healthier," She pointed her finger at Hiroi.

He groaned. "Fine. Whatever you say," He muttered, "You have your tea, and I have my cigarettes." He said.

Earl Grey smiled. "Tea is healthy, smoking is not," She pointed out. Hiroi crossed his arms and looked back out at sea.

…...

Maho was sleeping in her Panzer, tired from the previous day's fighting. She was snoring loudly, which was echoing throughout the tank garage. She was having another strange dream.

 _She was staring at the huge array of tanks lined up in the field. The Soviet KV-2 and IS-4, The Japanese Type 4 Chi-To, Type 5 Chi-Ri, Type 5 Ho-Ri, The Italian P43 heavy tank, The American T30, T29, and the British Tortoise were just a small portion of the arsenal that sprawled out for miles._

" _Look at all these tanks!" She shouted._

 _Shiho smiled. "Isn't it amazing? All these tanks are going to be part of the competition. Wouldn't you like to see them in action?" She looked down at Maho._

 _Maho grinned. "Yes!" She answered enthusiastically._

" _How about you, Miho?" Shiho turned to her right._

 _Miho grabbed onto Shiho's hand. "It's...scary…" She whispered._

 _Shiho chuckled. "Don't worry, they won't hurt you," She said._

" _Miss Nishizumi?" Shiho turned around. An old man, around thirty, stood tall. He wore a pair of glasses and had a light beard. "Good morning." He said in a deep Russian accent._

" _Mr. Tolokoff. Nice to see you." Shiho said._

 _Tolokoff bowed. "It's been twenty years since you became friends with my wife," He smiled._

 _Shiho placed her hands on her hip. "How is she? Is she still smoking after I beat her in the International Senshadou tournament?" She smirked._

 _Tolokoff laughed. "Oh, she's over it now. She's now an instructor at Moscow University," He replied. He peered over her. "Are those your daughters? He asked._

 _Shiho nodded. "Yes, Maho and Miho," She introduced._

 _Tolokoff grinned. "Well, good thing," He turned his head, "Come out now." He said. A young, blonde girl looked out from behind his legs. "Here's my daughter, Klara. My wife is expecting another one back home," He introduced._

 _Klara's face showed a expression of horror when she looked up at Shiho's face, and hid behind Tolokoff's legs. He laughed. "Always scaring the young ones, huh. Is that why your husband's not here?" He joked._

 _Shiho smiled, but Maho could see a hint of sadness in her eyes. "Yes, you could say that," She replied._

 _A man ran up to Tolokoff and whispered something in Russian._

 _Tolokoff nodded. "I have to go now, some business to tend to. Anyways, good luck!" He turned around and followed the man away. Klara looked back at Maho, who smiled and waved. Klara smiled and waved back, before climbing onto Tolokoff's shoulders._

" _Who was that?" Miho asked. "Was that a friend?"_

 _Shiho nodded. "A very good one," She answered._

" _Was he the man you were talking about before?" Maho tugged at Shiho's shirt._

 _Shiho shook her head. "No, that's another important friend," She peered over her shoulder. She smiled. "That's him," She said. M_

 _aho and Miho turned around, and saw a tall man in a olive green uniform, with a small girl on his shoulders, black hair tied up in a pony tail. Shiho waved and began walking towards the man, with Maho and Miho at her heel._

"Commander Nishizumi." Maho's woke up to Erika shaking her awake.

"Erika! What are you doing here?" Maho demanded.

Erika grinned. "I'm completely fine! I miss my place in my Panzer!" She exclaimed.

Maho smiled. "That's a relief. It's good to have you back," She stood up and climbed out of her Panzer. "You missed a lot, Erika." She said.

"Don't worry, I'll make it up to you in the next few weeks," Erika replied.

…..

Rumi, Azumi and Megumi were lounging around their armored car.

"When do you think we're going home?" Megumi asked.

Rumi shrugged. "When we beat them," She answered.

Azumi looked at her. "And do you know when that's going to be?" She demanded.

Rumi shrugged again. "I dunno,"

"I just want to see Commander Alice's cute face again," Megumi said.

"I want to rub her cheeks together," Azumi dreamed.

"Do you remember what Commander Kaito told us?" Rumi said. The other two looked at her.

"About what?" Azumi asked.

"About how Commander Alice kissed him on the cheek," Rumi replied. The women squealed.

"We have to get them together." Azumi whispered.

"But how will we get Commander Kaito to like Alice-chan?" Megumi wondered.

"I heard from Tanya-san that Kaito might be a lolicon," Azumi hissed.

"What? That serious, uptight kid?" Megumi arched her eyebrows.

"Uptight? Serious? He's the most aloof person I've ever met," Rumi hit Megumi lightly in the shoulder.

"But if what Tanya-san said is true, then we might have a chance!" Azumi pumped her arms in the air.

"I don't think so," Rumi shook her head.

Megumi glared at her. "What do you mean?" She asked.

Rumi adjusted her glasses. "Well, his ringtone for his phone is _Erika,_ " She grinned.

Megumi's jaw almost dropped. "The Kuromorimine vice-commander's name's-"

Rumi shushed her. "And when Tanya told him she's coming back, he literally ran off to look for her," She explained.

Azumi frowned. "Her? She's always grouchy. I wonder why he's into her,"

Rumi sighed. "Who knows. Anyway, this is going to be a very hard battle for us,"

….

Arai was looking at a series of maps when an old man entered the meeting room. Arai sprang to attention and saluted.

"Good to see you, Arai-kun," The old man waved his hand. "I hope the situation is going in our favor." He said.

"Sir, the offensive to liberate Uruma will start in a few days. The enemy seems to have panicked after we liberated Nago, and have started skirmishes with us around Kin," Arai pointed to the middle of Okinawa. "We outnumber them roughly two-to-one, so in terms of men we could deploy a division, while the enemy would only be able to field around two regiments."

"Good, we'll break them at Nuruma," The old general said. "How is the Kuromorimine and the Emperor's Regiment doing?"

"They're fine, sir. They've taken light casualties, but they have been fighting for weeks on end. It's better to let them rest for a while, at least until Nuruma be freed," Arai suggested.

The old general waved his hat. "Then let them have rest! They're our new stars for the time being!" He said enthusiastically.

…..

Maho and Erika were standing outside, talking about what happened in the past weeks.

"So what have you been doing this entire time?" Maho asked Erika.

"Watching old boring shows on TV," Erika answered dully.

Maho chuckled. "Must have been a grand old time,"

"Commander, it was extremely boring,"

"Well, did you want to be in the battlefield?" Maho asked Erika in a serious tone.

Erika shook her head. "No, I just-"

"Erika!" Erika looked up and saw Kaito crash down to the ground.

"Are you alright?" Erika asked, running over to help him up.

"I'm fine. What about you?" Kaito said, getting up.

"I'm fine. Thanks for asking," Erika answered, smiling sweetly.

"Oh, that's good, I guess," Kaito said, blushing. "How was your vacation?"

"Vacation?" Erika asked with a confused expression.

"Well, we were working to death out here, while you were lounging around," He said jokingly.

"Jeez, what makes you think so?" Erika pouted, and Kaito flustered.

Maho was snickering in the background, while the Bermuda Trio were glaring from behind a building.

 **All-Japanese Youth Association Headquarters, Tokyo, Japan, 2:35 P.M.**

"Where are we?" Alice demanded from Chiyo, who dragged her in the building.

"I'm sorry, but we have to do this. I was against this, but this might help you with your social skills," Chiyo said exasperatedly.

Alice moaned in frustration. "I don't want to,"

"Hello. How may I help you?" The receptionist asked in a monotone voice, no doubt repeating the phrase dozens of times today already.

"Hello. I'm here to enroll my daughter Alice for the AJYA," Chiyo told her.

The receptionist nodded and typed into her computer. "Alright, come over here," She told Alice, who followed her. "Stand here." She pointed to the wall, and Alice stood straight with a serious face. The receptionist took out a camera and flashed a picture. She walked back to the desk desk, and after a few minutes of typing printed out a small card. "Here you go." She gave it to Alice.

Alice glanced at it. It had her picture in the corner, next to her name. Underneath the picture was a number: #130551. Alice sighed and put it in her pocket.

"Meetings on Monday through Fridays, and other activities on Sunday," The receptionist droned on.

"Thank you," Chiyo bowed and the two left the building. "Here, let's go to the Boko shop, we can buy something." She said, and Alice's face lit up.

 **somewhere near Chatan, Okinawa**

General Ryang muttered to himself while glaring at the maps sprawled across the table.

"What's the matter?" Mi-jing sauntered into the room.

Ryang glared at her. "You know what's the matter!" He roared. "We lost a whole division in Nago!" He slammed his fist against the table. "And I heard what happened. You were almost killed by that Nishizumi?" Mi-jing nodded. "How could you be so reckless? You're my ace, so I can't have you die here!" He spat out.

Mi-jing shrugged. "It was just beginner's luck," She explained.

"You should stop underestimating the enemy!" Ryang said exasperatedly, "That is exactly why we lost Nago to the enemy." He groaned in frustration. "Please do refrain from acting rashly." He went back to looking over maps, mumbling to himself. Mi-jing quietly walked out of the room.

She exited the building, which was in the middle of a residential neighborhood. She looked at her parked Pokpung IV, which was properly repaired. She walked down the street, covered by dozens of soldiers and vehicles. Civilians were holed up in their houses, too scared to go outside. If they even dared step outside, they could be beat, killed, and even raped by the occupying forces. Just the other day Five North Korean soldiers burst into a house and abducted a fifteen year old girl. They brutally raped and murdered her, before throwing her into a ditch.

Mi-jing looked at them with pity. She felt a bit bad for them, but of course would not do anything for them. They were the conquered, they should bear the consequences. They were enemies of the glorious leader, so they had to suffer. Too bad they still had to act like a normal society, going to work only to be abused by the North Koreans.

She stopped by a small cafe. She entered and a sat down at a table.

Immediately a waiter rushed to her side. "Welcome. Ho-how may I-I-I help you?" He stammered. He was a tall young man, with his short brown hair cropped to the side.

Mi-jing thought for a minute. "Get me a strawberry shortcake, chocolate pound cake and coffee," She answered in a bored tone, resting her head on her elbow.

The waiter bowed frantically. "Immediately!" He quickly turned around and scrambled to the back of the shop. Mi-jing turned her head towards the window. She yawned and her eyelids slowly lowered themselves.

"Commander!" Mi-jing shot up and turned forwards. It was her driver, Maeng. "So you like these kinds of shops?" She asked.

"Yeah, I guess. Sit down," Mi-jing waved her hand, and Maeng sat down. "You gonna eat anything? I got two cakes." She offered. Maeng shook her head.

"No, I'm just getting a coffee," Maeng answered, "This is my first time in such a cafe, so I'm sort of excited."

"These places don't exist back home, or are so expensive most can't eat there," Mi-jing agreed.

The waiter came back, holding the two cakes and the cup of coffee. He placed them down, and Maeng ordered her coffee. The waiter nodded and scurried behind the counter. Mi-jing began burying herself in the cakes. After taking several bites out of the pound cake, she looked up at Maeng, who was drooling. "Want some?" She suggested.

Maeng shook her head again, though she had the look of a starving wolf. "No thanks, commander. Please enjoy your meal," She said.

Mi-jing shrugged and went back into her cakes. She swallowed the coffee. Her face turned red and she gulped down a chunk of strawberry cake. "Whew! This is delicious!" She exclaimed.

Mi-jing patted her stomach with satisfaction, with the plates and cup devoid of any food or liquid. She exhaled deeply and stared at the ceiling. "That was good," She said.

The waiter inched up to the table. "Well, um, the cost…" He started, and Mi-jing glanced at her. He flinched. "That will be 10,000 Yen…" He mumbled. Mi-jing continued to glare at him. "Oh, that will be 82,000 Won!" He squealed.

Mi-jing's eyes widened. "82,000?" She demanded.

The waiter winced. "Oh, the discount price will bring it down to, um, 60 won!" His face went pale, "Please, I have a wife and child." He clasped his hands together.

Mi-jing groaned as she placed her hands in her pocket. As she rummaged through her pocket, watched by the petrified waiter managed to scrounge up the measly 16,000 Won she saved up. She grabbed the money and shoved it at the waiter's hands, who stumbled back.

"What?" A look of confusion was etched on his face as he looked down at the money, then up at her.

Mi-jing stood up. "Because it was good," She mumbled as she closed the door behind her.

* * *

 **Some terms:**

" **Ministry of Public Morale and Propaganda": An office that was created for the purpose of turning the public attitude to the ongoing war as favorable in 2024, after the victory of Nago. The position was given to Nishizumi Kijiro, a major proponent for the war.**

" **All-Japanese Youths Association"(AJYA): A youth organization that espouses patriotism and nationalism into the youth at a young age. Fitness and intellect are an essential part of the program, and members will do activities such as hiking or going to the shooting range. They will also be instilled with military discipline and virtues. They will learn all trades of society, but with a special emphasis on the Zen and Yamato spirit. Members will also learn camaraderie and will help the public with public services such as firefighting. It was created in early 2021 by Nishizumi Kijiro, but by 2023 only had around 64,000 members. However, after the AJYA was mandatory within a year membership skyrocketed to over two million members. A comparable organization would be the Boy Scouts or the Hitler Youth.**

" **National Motor Corps"(NMK): An organization that trains members on the basics of maintaining, driving, and using various cars, vehicles and tanks. For people that want to join the armored corps of the military. A branch of the AJYA. Comparable to the Nationalist Socialist Motor Corps.**

" **National Flying Corps"(NFK): This organization aims to help people who want a future in the Air Force. Members will learn the basic skills of flying and maintaining jets, helicopters and the like. Activities include skydiving and paragliding. Comparable to the Nationalist Socialist Flying Corps.**

" **National Marine Corps"(NMC): This organization is for people who want to join the Navy. Members will go out to sea on various surface vessels and submarines, and will learn how to fix, operate and utilize the weapons of these ships.**


	21. Tadatsune

**Chapter twenty: Tadatsune**

 **Chatan, Okinawa, July 11th, 2024**

Arai looked at the map before her. The entire island, save for Naha, had been liberated in the previous weeks. Over 200,000 troops have landed on Okinawa, facing from what intelligence estimates 50,000 North Korean troops. The North Koreans have tried to reinforce their troops but the air force and navy prevented them from doing so.

"I guess this is the final showdown," Arai whispered to herself. They surrounded the entire area, trapping the North Koreans garrisoned in the capital of Okinawa. Constant artillery and naval bombardments hopefully fulfilled their purpose of demoralizing the enemy. The air force pounded whatever defenses they constructed.

Columns of Type 10 MBTs rolled down the street, while helicopters droned overhead. Maho and Erika sat under a tree, drinking water.

"Ugh, it's so hot," Erika complained. "I can't do this anymore."

Maho smiled. "We could use a summer vacation after this." She replied.

Erika flopped down to the grass. "That would be nice," She said in agreement. She wiped her face with her arm, clearing the sweat that was pouring down. "They should seriously fix the a.c. systems in the tanks." She panted.

"How about an ice cream machine?" Maho suggested.

Erika smiled. "That's a good idea," She said.

"Get up, ladies!" The gruff shout made Erika and Maho to jump up. An officer stood behind them. "We're getting ready to go on the offensive," He told them, "Get ready." Erika and Maho saluted.

"Yes, sir," They both answered.

…...

"So, how are we going to do this?" The array of generals and commanders peered over the table filled with maps. "

We have to take Ginowan and Urasoe first, before striking into Naha itself," The old general started.

A younger man stepped forward. "There's an enemy tank brigade stationed in Nakagusuku. That could cause some problems," He noted.

The old general nodded. "We'll send the Kuromorimine and Blue regiments to deal with them," He said, "The Emperor's regiment will lead the attack into Urasoe. The navy will deal with any North Korean defenses and stop any transport trying to reinforce or evacuate soldiers."

…...

"How are the IFVs?" Tanya shouted across the garage.

"Fine," Rumi's voice drifted back. "All ammunition and fuel are fully restocked."

"Good," Tanya put her hands on her hips. "How many can we field?"

"We have around 8 APCs, 15 IFVs and 11 AFVs." Rumi answered.

"Alright, thanks," Tanya waved her hand and left the garage.

She walked through Chatan, searching for Kaito. _Where is he?_ She thought. She looked through every street and building, but he was nowhere to be found. She gritted her teeth in frustration. She flipped out her phone and and scrolled through her contacts. When she got to Kaito, she tapped furiously. Her phone began ringing, and from behind her the tune of _Erika_ starts blaring.

Confused, Tanya twisted her head around, only to see Kaito standing behind her. "Kaito-sama, how long have you been there?" She glared at him.

"Oh, for a while now," Kaito answered.

Tanya groaned and turns to him. "Please stop wandering around," She said.

Kaito nodded. "Okay," The radio at her side crackled to life and she picked it up.

" _To all personnel, report to the sports stadium for the final debriefing of the upcoming offensive,"_ It reported. Tanya grabbed Kaito's hand and began dragging him towards the stadium.

 **Chatan Park Athletics Stadium, Thirty minutes later**

30,000 soldiers stood at attention, looking at the old general who stood at the podium.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen!" His booming resonated throughout the stadium using the microphone. "This is the home run; the enemy is on their last legs on this island! Today is the beginning of the final offensive. We will launch two strikes against the enemy; Operation Tadatsune against Nakagusuku, and Operation Hisataka against Ginowan.

There is an enemy tank brigade stationed in Nakagusuku; around 30-40 tanks in total. They're the usual Pokpung-Ho, Chonma-Ho, M1992s, M-2010s and BMP-1s so no worries there. The Kuromorimine and Blue division will lead the advance into Nakagusuku.

For Operation Hisataka, the Emperor's regiment will lead the 5th and 11th divisions into Ginowan, and then continue down to Urasoe. Now, in Ginowan reportedly stationed is the 8th division. They're one of the elite divisions of the entire North Korean army. They were the ones that took Seoul. So they're probably going to give you guys a hard time, and will fight to the death. But once they're dealt with, the rest of the enemy will break.

The final offensive into the city of Naha itself, Operation Masamune, will commence once Nakagusuku, Ginowan and the surrounding areas are secured. The final advance will be led by the Emperor's and Kuromorimine regiment, with 5 divisions. The enemy will have around 2-3 divisions left. We outnumber them, but that doesn't mean it's going to be easy. They're going to fight in every room, house and street. They're going to fight tooth and nail for every inch of territory.

Now, I've heard reports of soldiers shooting unarmed, surrendering enemy soldiers. I know how you all feel, but that does not want warrant the actions that you have taken! We are professionals. Any more reports of extrajudicial killings will resort in harsh consequences.

You are the bravest soldiers of Japan. You have endured months of grueling fighting, and have no doubt lost comrades. But today will end it all! We will not stop our attacks until the enemy cracks under our constant assaults! Your courage has brought you here, and will bring us victory against the ones that attempted to defeat us! Banzai!"

 **Two hour later, Kitanakagusuku, Okinawa**

"Are you all ready?" Maho asked into her radio. A flurry of voices filled the airwaves in response.

" _Yes, commander,_ "

" _All good commander_ ,"

" _Yeah, let's do this_!"

" _Alright, commander_ ,"

" _Woohoo, commander_!"

" _Let's do this, Señora_!" Francisca added.

Maho smiled. "Erika, how about you?" She asked.

"Perfectly fine, commander," Erika answered.

Maho nodded. "Good. Welcome back to the team,"

"Alright, Panzer vor!" Maho shouted. The column of Panzer X, Panzer XII, Type 10s and Type 89s groaned forwards. They rode down the street, driving through neighborhoods and fields. Wind flew past them as they drove through a forest.

"Commander, we have crossed into Nakagusuku," Erika told Maho.

"Okay, thanks," Maho replied. The road split in two, one going east and one going west. "Okay, we're going to split our forces in two; I will lead the Kuromorimine portion to the west, and Francisca will lead the Blue Division to the east." She said.

….

Francisca leaned back in her AMX-31 E, rolling down the forested hill. "We're going to go to the Country Club." She muttered to herself. The Blue division left the forest and entered a field. "Señoras, watch out for enemy fire!" She shouted into her radio. Just as she said that, several explosions rocked the AMX-31 E. "Joder!" She screamed, "Fire back!" The turret of the AMX-31 E creaked as it turned 40 degrees and fired a shell towards the sand dunes, where a Chonma-Ho tank was hiding. The turret flew into the air as it was blasted by a hot fiery geyser erupting from the inside.

Francisca threw her arms in the air. "Score!"

The rest of the AMX-31 Es and Type 10s dispersed into the field. Dust and dirt flew as tanks from both sides dueled across the open golf course. An AMX-31 E shuddered to a halt as a round penetrated its armor and killed the crew inside. A tree, cut down by a shell, crashed down on an Pokpung-Ho tank. Two Type 10s fired a volley, scoring hits on a Pokpung-Ho. The Japanese tanks advanced, pushing the North Koreans back.

Francisca drove her AMX-31 E up a knoll, followed by several more AMX-31 Es. She grabbed her binoculars and peered through them. She saw several North Korean tanks backing up into the parking lot.

"Advance!" She ordered. The Japanese charged down, firing down upon the North Koreans. Three Chonma-Ho tanks exploded, throwing more tanks to the side. Tank crew scrambled out of their tanks. The North Koreans fired back, detracking one AMX-31 E. Shells bounced off Francisca's tank, and she grimaced as it shook. The tank slid down the hill, and came face to face with a Chonma-Ho tank. The AMX-31 E fired right at the turret of the Chonma-Ho tank. It shuddered for a second, then stopped moving. Francisca rolled back up the hill.

She noticed tank crew scurrying across the field. Francisca grabbed the machine gun and aimed at the running crew. She gripped the trigger, and thousands of bullets barreled towards the North Koreans. The bullets slammed into the North Koreans, who staggered down onto the ground.

A line of AMX-31 E and Type 10s lined up at the top of the hill, bearing down on the surviving North Korean vehicles. One by one, they fired down, each shot resonating in the sky. The North Koreans manoeuvred in their limited space, but the constant bombardment hampered their movements. One by one, the remaining North Korean tanks were disabled and destroyed, leaving only a graveyard of smoking and burning remains of tanks and corpses.

Francisca smiled in satisfaction. "Well, time to meet up with Maho," She said.

….

The Panzers moved down the slithering mountain road. Erika looked around from her cupola.

" _Erika, watch out for enemy ambushes,_ " Maho warned her. " _I'm looking at the map right now, but I don't know where the enemy would gather its main forces._ " She said worriedly.

Erika rolled out a map of her own. "Uh, vice-commander?" She peered over. It was her gunner, Kanagawa.

"How about the Yoshiura Thermal Power Station?" She offered. "It's the main power station of the area."

Erika looked at her. "How do you know?" She asked.

Kanagawa shrugged. "I used to live near this area," She answered.

"What? This is the first time I've heard this," Erika exclaimed.

Kanagawa looked at her sheepishly. "Well, I lived here until around three years ago. My brother stayed though. I haven't talked to him in years, so I don't know where he went," She sighed heavily. "We should head to the power station."

"Commander Nishizumi, Kanagawa suggested the Yoshiura Thermal Power Station," Erika relayed through the radio. There was a brief pause.

" _Hm, alright. We'll head there. If they're not there, we'll figure something out,_ " Maho answered.

Erika grinned at Kanagawa. "Thanks,"

The line of Panzers left the forest and crossed the road junction. They continued straight until entering route 239, turning left on the Gabusoka Shokudo. Maho glanced to her left, and saw the power station in between the houses.

"There it is!" Maho exclaimed. The Panzer column drove through a field of tall grass, and crashed through the wire fence protecting the power station.

Immediately they were under fire. From behind the two large water towers and from under the dozens of intertwining pipes, M-2010s and Pokpung-Ho tanks bombarded the oncoming Japanese. Maho's Panzer V barreled towards the station checkpoint when an explosion rocked the tank from the left. As bits and pieces of dirt fly over her.

She glanced to over and saw the barrel of a field gun pointed right at her. "Take evasive action!" She shouted, and the Panzer X went in full reverse. The field gun fired again, this time the shell zooming right past Maho's head and impacting with a steel block. The Panzer X turned its turret at the field gun. The entire tank rocked back as the shell propelled forwards, engulfing the entire gun with smoke and dirt. When the smoke cleared the gun was a wreck, with the crew leaning over, dead.

Maho entered the power station, which was by now a warzone. Dozens of tanks lay smoking or on fire. Shells and rounds bounced off of the water towers and buildings. Colorful tracers were flying who abandoned their tanks were laying on the ground in a pool of their own blood. A Chonma-Ho fired at Maho's Panzer X, but the round glanced off of the armor and exploded in the pavement.

"Fire!" Erika shouted, and the Panzer XII destroyed a Chonma-Ho tank. A hole was gaping from the side, covered by the black smoke.

"Yes!" Kanagawa shouted.

"Driver, don't let us become a sitting duck!" Erika shouted as a Panzer XII next to her blew up in flames. "Damn it.." She muttered underneath her breath. It seems the fighting grew even more brutal ever since she came back. The Panzer XII squeaked to a halt as it fired another shot, this time flipping a M1992 APC onto its side. Soldiers scrambled out of the wreck, but were shot to pieces as several tanks aimed their sights on them. The Panzer XII swiveled left as it avoided a round from an opposing tank. The Panzer XII shot back, penetrating the armor and killing the men inside.

A Jagdpanzer VI, two Jagdpanzer VII and a single Panzer XII drove through the side of the station, with the sea to their side.

The Panzer XII commander looked out from her cupola. She could see a single tank at the mouth of the pier, behind the water tower. "Take that tank out," She ordered, and the Panzers all turned their turrets toward the North Korean tank. But as the commander was about to give the order to fire, the barrel of the North Korean tank turned orange as it fired a single round. The Jagdpanzer VI slammed to a halt as the round punctured the hull.

"Kanako!" The Panzer XII commander screamed. She turned back at the North Korean tank, which was now starting to move forwards. "You bastard!" She growled. She winced as the North Korean tank fired again, this time blowing a Jagdpanzer VII to smithereens. She was now able to identify the North Korean tank; It was a Pokpung-Ho V. Not that it mattered; the second Jagdpanzer VII went up in flames, and the crew struggled to scramble out of the burning coffin. They grabbed at their singeing hair and clawed at their burning clothes.

The Panzer XII commander looked at the Pokpung-Ho V. The cupola opened and a women with a ponytail popped out. She grinned at the Panzer VII wildly, and the commander leaned back in terror. "No…" She whispered, shaking her head. "No no no no!" She begged as the other girl smugly smiled as the turret of the Pokpung-Ho V rotated to aim the barrel at the commander.

"Fall back! Run! Go!" The commander shrieked and the Panzer VII started to rear back. Too late; The Panzer VII blew up, large red flames shooting out from the open cupola. Mi-jing's Pokpung-Ho slowly moved past the burning wrecks of the four tanks, a smile etched on her face.

She whistled to herself as the tank rounded a corner. _Destroying four tanks in under a minute, what a record!_ She thought to herself as she looked around. A frown replaced her smile. _Well, I guess not all things are going well._ The power station was a graveyard; the smoke from the wreckage covered the sky. _Damn it, I guess it's time to retreat._ She grabbed the radio. "All of you fools that are still alive, we're going to fall back." She shouted. The Pokpung V began to drive towards the exit, flanked by six tanks, all damaged to some extent, limped out of the station. Mi-jing gritted her teeth in frustration and looked back. She grimaced as she saw the Japanese tanks following her. _God!_ She thought to herself. Her eyes widened as she saw the figure leading the Panzer column.

…..

Maho looked at the North Korean tanks retreating from the power station with satisfaction. "We'll chase them down, don't let them regroup with the infantry," She shouted. The Panzers left the station in pursuit of the North Koreans. They raced through neighborhoods and forested hills.

Maho fired a shot, but it fell wide, hitting a tree. The figure at the back of the Pokpung-Ho V turned back towards her. She froze as she recognized the girl, and sweat began to form on her forehead. The Pokpung-Ho V and another tank swerved left onto a smaller road, while the rest continued going straight. "Erika continue chasing them down. I'll go after the two tanks." She told Erika.

" _Got it, commander Nishizumi_ ," Erika radioed back. Maho and two other Panzers peeled off, chasing Mi-jing.

Maho scowled at the back of the Mi-jing's tank. "Fire!" She ordered, but the shell sailed into a house. They entered a field, and Mi-jing's tank turned the turret around and faced Maho. It fired, and hit the Panzer XII right of Maho. The shell bounced off the glacis plate and landed in the field harmlessly. The Panzers aimed their turrets and fired at the two fleeing tanks. Two shots landed in the rear of the Chonma-Ho tank, which rolled off the road and into the fields.

The Pokpung-Ho V fired again, and this time hit the Panzer XII in the turret. The turret exploded, and the Panzer was left behind as the tanks continued to drive forwards. Mi-jing turned around and grinned menacingly at Maho, shuddered in response. The two continued to fire at each other, sometimes hitting but not doing little to no damage. Maho cursed underneath her breath. The tank swayed back and forth, making aiming difficult. The road veered to the right, and entered a small residential area. The Pokpung-Ho V fired back, missing the Panzer X by a long shot.

The Panzer X fired, scraping the side of the Pokpung-Ho V, and the tank raised up a few meters in the air, before crashing back down on the ground. The Pokpung-Ho V fired at the Panzer X to the left of Maho, which blew up and driving off the road.

They drove uphill into another neighborhood. The Pokpung-Ho V, barrel aiming down at Maho, fired again. The shell arced downwards and hit the base of the hill. She turned left, and Maho followed in suit, the Panzer X grazing against the wall of the house on the corner.

Suddenly the Pokpung-Ho V stopped and began to slide down the road. Maho's eyes widened as the Pokpung-Ho V quickly drifted backwards, ending up facing Maho. Mi-jing jeered as the barrel of the Pokpung-Ho V raised up as it fired right at Maho's face. She ducked underneath the cupola, and the shell sped over her and exploded when it landed on a roof of a building.

The pokpung-Ho V collided with the Panzer X, both girls only a few feet away, staring at each other.

"Well well. We meet again," Mi-jing laughed.

Maho only scowled. "You…" She started, but Mi-jing interrupted her.

"Enjoying the scenery? I sure have." She grinned at Maho. The Panzer X roared backwards, pushing itself away from the Pokpung-Ho V. Maho flipped Mi-jing off as the Panzer X drove uphill, past Mi-jing. Mi-jing smirked and had her Pokpung-Ho V follow.

The duel between the two tanks continued, leaving the small neighborhood and through a small forest. Maho ducked as branches appeared in her vision. The Panzer X creaked as the treads crushed small logs and knocked down trees. Maho slowly turned around. Mi-jing was still right behind her. She fired, and a tree fell down in front of Maho. She dipped down, and the tree crashed down across the cupola, and small bits of bark and leaves fell down onto Maho's face. As the Panzer X drove on the tree eventually rolled off, and Maho wiped her face and sat back up.

There was a steep incline, and Maho jerked backwards as the Panzer X changed its angle. She stabled herself and looked forwards. She saw a light ahead, and broke through the forest, into a bigger neighborhood. The ground became level, and Maho parked her Panzer X. She saw the Pokpung-Ho V exit the forest, climbing the steep hill. She fired once, which bounced off the armor before turning around and drove into the neighborhood.

Maho drove through the town, wondering where the rest of her brigade went. "Erika, where are you guys?" She asked into her radio.

" _Around Minamiuebaru,_ " Erika answered immediately.

Maho glanced at her map, and sighed with relief. "Good, so am I," She said.

 _Boom._ The sudden explosion caught Maho off guard. "What the hell?" She sputtered out. She glanced around and gasped when she saw the Pokpung-Ho V charged towards her. "Move!" She screamed, and the driver quickly maneuvered the Panzer out of the way of the Pokpung-Ho V.

The Pokpung-Ho V sped forwards for a few meters, but stopped and turned around. It fired and the round tore through the second story of a house.

Maho frowned. "Steer to the left," She told her driver. The Panzer X geared forward and drifted left towards the Pokpung-Ho V. Before the turret of the Pokpung V could follow, the Panzer X drifted in front of Mi-jing's view. Mi-jing could only react in a surprised manner. The turret of the Panzer X reared backwards as it fired off a shot. Unfortunately the shot missed, and it flew off into the distance. _Fuck!_ Maho cursed to herself.

Mi-jing quickly recovered and the turret swerved at Maho. Maho's face contorted into one of horror. Fortunately, the shot missed. The Panzer X screeched to a halt, and fired right at the Pokpung-Ho V. The shell hit its mark; it blasted the Pokpung-Ho V into the air, and Mi-jing almost fell out of the cupola.

"Nice! Another one!" Maho shouted, and the loader slammed a shell into the breech. The Pokpung-Ho V crashed back down on to the road. Mi-jing glared at Maho, who tried to move away. She grinned as the barrel exploded as the shell propelled itself towards Maho.

A loud roar encompassed maho's hearing, and she covered her ears in a panic. The Panzer shook violently for a few seconds, throwing Maho around in her seat. She also felt hot shards of metal enter her legs, and she screamed in pain. She looked down, and was horrified at what she saw.

The entire tank was covered in blood. Her driver had her entire upper body evaporated, with only her bloody lower half dangling in her seat. The radio operator and the loader had their entire bodies ripped to shreds, their faces unrecognizable by the thousands of metal shards imbedded in them. Maho looked at Mi-jing with a terrified expression. Mi-jing herself, began grinning uncontrollably. The barrel turned to aim right at Maho's head.

The Pokpung-Ho V lurched forwards by an explosion from the rear of the tank. Mi-jing looked around in shock, as a Panzer XII sped past the Pokpung-Ho V.

"Commander!" Erika shouted.

"Get that bitch!" Mi-jing screamed, and the turret slowly turned to face Erika. Erika's Panzer XII fired again, this time hitting the Pokpung-Ho V in the side. It began to smoke and Mi-jing looked over in shock and anger.

"Ugghh…" The groaning made Maho look at the inside of the Panzer X. Her gunner had stirred, and was now trying to stable herself. Blood was pouring down her forehead and body. Maho could see her intestines hanging out. "Commander…" She turned around and looked at Maho; she had put up a brave face, but was wincing in pain. "One more shot and I could get her…" She sputtered out.

"No! Don't you see what'll happen?" Maho shouted back.

The gunner smiled. "I'll die anyways, may as well go out in style. Just tell me when to fire…" She answered.

Whatever face Maho had, she quickly straightened herself out. She looked back outside. Mi-jing was struggling to get out of the cupola. Erika had fired again, but missed and was still in the process of reloading. Black smoke suddenly enveloped Maho's vision. She coughed loudly, and closed her eyes. "Fire!" She shouted, and the smoke cleared as the the shell pushed it out of the way.

The Pokpung-Ho V was now a mess; from the cupola rose long, red stretches of fire. Smoke was pouring out from the engine, the source of the previous smoke that covered the entire area.

"Good job!" Maho peered down at the gunner's position. Her heart sank when the gunner was leaning in her seat, dead. She looked out again, and saw Erika running up to the Panzer X.

"Commander!" Erika jumped up to the turret. "Are you alright?" She asked. Maho grabbed Erika and pulled her in tightly. She tried to speak, but was only able to sputter out a cry, as tears were flowing down her face.


	22. Operation Hisataka

**Chapter twenty one: Hisataka**

8 APCs and 26 armored vehicles rolled out of the Camp Foster military complex and towards the airfield just a few kilometers away. Kaito and the others sat in the cramped space of a type 100 Armored Personnel Carrier, waiting the time to disembark.

"Men, are you ready?" Kaito shouted. Tanya glanced at him. "Oh, and the ladies too. Are you ready to go fight?" He added.

"Yeah!" Lasagna shouted.

"I am," Nishi added.

"Let's do this," Naoki smiled.

"Let's do this is a graceful manner," Earl Grey said.

"We'll pummel them!" Rumi shouted, with Megumi and Azumi whistling next to her.

Kaito looked at Tanya. "What about you?" He asked.

A small smile crept on Tanya's face. "I'll follow you, Kaito-sama," She whispered.

Kaito took Tanya's hand and gently kissed it. "Then follow me to heaven, won't you?" He winked. Tanya blushed and quickly took her hand away.

The APC shuddered to a halt, throwing everyone inside around. Light poured in as the doors in the rear quickly opened.

"Alright, go go go!" Kaito shouted. The soldiers jumped out and into the open field, where the battle was already getting intense. An APC lay ruined, smoke pouring out of the compartments. Soldiers lay on the ground, dead. Blood seeped the entire ground. Explosions rocked the field, throwing soldiers and armored cars into the air. Rockets and mortars coming from the North Korean side flew over the sky, raining onto the Japanese infantry.

Kaito kneeled behind a Type 100 APC, looking towards the enemy. "So we have to take the damn airfield first." He muttered as he unrolled a map.

Tanya peered over his shoulder. "The enemy has set up positions across the runway, and have helicopter support," She noted.

Kaito nodded. "We better hope we'll get cavalry support," He said. He gritted his teeth as a mortar round plunged itself into an IFV, skyrocketing the turret into the air. "Shit." He muttered. "How bad are the casualties?"

Tanya sighed. "At least 25% casualties so far," She replied. "We've only advanced a few meters." She leaned out of the APC and emptied out her magazine. She ducked back and reloaded her rifle.

Shit…" Kaito muttered, covering his ears from the _Pop pop pop_ of assault rifles, the _rattling_ of machine guns and _kaboom_ of artillery. The sandbag and trench positions across the field kept the Japanese troops at bay, destroying every assault team the Japanese sent .

…...

Nishi and Lasagna kept their bodies against the ground as bullets sailed over them.

"This isn't going well…" Lasagna muttered as he attached a new magazine to his rifle. Nishi aimed her sights at a North Korean soldier and fired. The soldier fell down, spraying blood into the air. Nishi grinned and looked back at Lasagna, who frowned. They had to duck their heads as bullet impacts threw dirt in front of them.

"Jesus!" Lasagna shouted. "How the hell are we supposed to advanced?"

They heard the rotors of helicopters and looked up at the sky above them. Four helicopters flew above them, firing missiles and bullets at the North Korean troops below. They scattered out of their positions and thousands of bullets peppered them, killing dozens of unfortunate men caught out in the open. However, North Korean missiles launched themselves at the helicopters. One helicopter was hit, and it spun out of control, leaving a trail of smoke as it sailed towards the ground below.

…...

Dozens of vehicles crawled across the ground, trying to trudge across the body-strewn land, only to be blown apart by North Korean guns and missiles. Hiroi dashed across open ground, aiming for a small ditch. As bullets whizzed past him he jumped into the air and rolled into the ditch, landing hard on his shoulder. He quickly got up and began firing at the North Koreans. "Jesus, the bastards really are something else…" He muttered to himself. He ducked down as bullet tracers flew by his face.

Three more soldiers jumped into the ditch, each out of breath. One soldier slung a Sumitomo Type 22 Machine gun over his shoulder. He immediately set up position and began firing down at the entrenched North Koreans. Hiroi aims his sights against a North Korean RPG. After three shots, He leaned against the thick dirt to cover himself.

"Don't we have artillery support?" One soldier shouted in exasperation, before getting his head blown apart by a sniper's bullet.

….

Earl Grey and Naoki lay on the ground, slowly crawling towards the North Korean trenches.

"How's your throwing arm?" Earl Grey asked.

Naoki grinned. "I was the pitcher for the middle school baseball team," He answered.

Earl Grey nodded. "Well, then. Go ahead." She prodded him. Naoki sighed and got out a grenade. He unpinned it and hurled it into the sky. The grenade landed in the trench, blasting the trench into smithereens. Ten North Koreans immediately turned to dust, while the other five or so are blasted with hundreds of metal, hot shards.

Earl Grey and Naoki dashed across the open field, while under fire from the North Koreans and into the trench. Naoki jumped in, his boots landing firmly in the trench.

"Oh, my. We're at the very front," Earl Grey noted as she peered over the trench. She soon ducked as bullets from both sides crossed the field.

"The airfield is right there," Naoki said, clutching his rifle tightly.

…...

Tanya fired off an entire magazine at the North Koreans. "God!" She cursed. Kaito was poking the ground with his guntō. Tanya glared at him. "What are you doing?" She demanded.

"What?" Kaito shouted. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Do something productive," Tanya offered. "Drop that thing and pick up a rifle!"

"No!" Kaito shouted. "You're crazy!" Tanya stomped her foot in anger. She turned back around and began firing back at the North Koreans. She stumbled back as bullets ricochet off the APC.. "We can't even move a meter…" She muttered.

Suddenly a bright light showered Tanya's eyes, and she instinctively covered her eyes. And then the light was gone. Tanya peered over the corner of the APC. She saw across the field, in the trench, an object of some kind raised into the air. Tanya narrowed her eyes. "What is that…?" She was surprised when the object began moving, light flicking off the object in a quick pattern. "Morse code." She recognized. She could interpret the message from the pattern. "This is Naoki...Radio broke...We occupied the first defensive trench...Might need backup…" She said. She turned to Kaito. "Shall we go?" She asked.

Kaito groaned. "Fine." He said.

…...

"Oh, god this is not good," Megumi muttered.

Rumi looked back at her, annoyance on her face. "Would you quit it?" She said.

Megumi pouted. "I don't like this though," She complained. "Why do we have to crawl across the ground?"

"Oh, stop complaining," Azumi said. She raised her rifle and fired a few shots. "This isn't so bad, is it?"

"This is horrible!" Megumi shouted.

Rumi sighed. "It would be nice to receive some air support," She said. She jerked her head as bullets hit the ground, throwing dirt around. "What are they doing?" She muttered.

….

Hiroi winced as the SAW gunner's body jerked around, getting battered by bullets. He grabbed the Type 22 SAW and began reloading, slamming the magazine in the chamber. He began firing, spraying the entire area with bullets. But the gun stopped firing, and Hiroi swore. "Dammit, it's jammed!" He shouted. He looked around his ditch; Three bodies now replaced the three men that joined him. He groaned. "What the hell am I supposed to do?" He wondered to himself.

He heard a distant roar in the sky, coming from behind him. He turned his head, and joy overtook him. "Finally, those bastards are here," He said. As a jet flew overhead, it launched a missile at the North Koreans, white smoke trailing behind the projectile.

The North Korean lines exploded, showering the entire area with pieces of dirt and concrete. A Red, yellow and orange mushroom cloud loomed over the field. Cracks appear in the ground, and it shakes as if there's an earthquake. Chunks of concrete crush North Korean soldiers below.

"Holy shit!" Hiroi exclaimed. He covered his eyes as a storm of dust envelop his ditch. The roar of the wind rushed past him, almost blowing him out of his little hole. The Type 22 SAW flew away, and it crashed back down onto the ground. _How powerful is this thing?_ He thought to himself as he felt himself landing softly on the ground. The wind stopped blowing and the dust slowly settled down.

….

"Oh my god…" Naoki muttered as the jet dropped its payload. "Let's see how this'll turn out…" The missile soared towards the ground in an arc. When the missile made contact with the ground, a loud, resonating _boom_ erupted. Naoki could see a curtain of dirt swallow up dozens of North Korean units.

"Get down!" Earl Grey pulled down Naoki as their trench becomes filled with brown dirt. The two huddle for what seemed an hour, in reality just a few minutes, until the sky was clear again.

"Was, was that a nuke?" Naoki wondered out loud.

Earl Grey peered over the trench. Her eyes widened in shock as she took in what she saw. "Uh…" Her attempt to form words failed her. She stumbled back and Naoki caught her. "What is it?" He demanded. He looked over. "What the fuck…" He mumbled.

What was a series of sandbag and trench positions was now a large crater several meters deep. Everything within the blast radius had been evaporated, while for several meters out there were dozens, if not hundreds of bloody mangled bodies laying around. The explosion had thrown them into the air and dropped them back onto the ground. There were also soldiers crawling about, their leg ripped off, without their arms or had their intestines hanging out. Tanks and vehicles were scorched black, flipped on either their side or back, or had flames coming out from them.

…..

"I guess it was a good to wait for a few minutes, huh," Tanya noted, looking at the mess.

Kaito nodded. "It's now time to move forwards," He ran out from behind of the APC and into open. Raising his guntō in the air, he shouted "Men, attack while the enemy is still dazed. We must take this opportunity!"

The soldiers began running forwards, and with a lack of North Korean guns, easily crossed the several hundred meters of ground. They ran past the gruesome leftovers of North Korean troops, taking stunned defenders prisoner.

By now more helicopters arrived from the horizon, gunning down the retreating North Koreans and landing reinforcements on the parts of the airfield that are still serviceable. The large building complex was easily taken by the attackers, killing nearly all the defenders in a rush. The last North Korean troops on the airfield quickly retreated back into the surrounding city.

"Holy crap, that's finally done and over with," Kaito said.

Tanya sighed and slumped her shoulders. "Our next orders are to go to the Okinawa international university. And then we'll have to advance into Urasoe." She told him.

Kaito grabbed his head and groaned. "Why?" He demanded.

"I don't know," Tanya muttered. "Orders are orders." She pondered for a minute. "What was that explosion though? That was unlike anything I've ever seen."

"Who knows. It saved our asses though," Kaito said.

Tanya nodded. "You're right. We'll have to focus on our objectives for now,"

…...

Within twenty minutes they were at the university.

"Alright, fan out," Kaito ordered as small arms fire begin peppering them down from above. Compared to the airfield, the university was much easier. They broke through the entrance defense and were now inside the main building.

Kaito dashed up the stairs, running through any North Korean unfortunate enough to be in his way. He swiped his guntō in the air, splattering blood onto the walls. Tanya ran behind him, gunning down North Korean soldiers. They got to the second floor, where several North Koreans were firing down at the soldiers below. Kaito and Tanya cleared them out within a minute.

They went into a hallway, where a North Korean soldier was waiting for them. With a yell he barreled towards Kaito, his bayonet flashing off the light. Kaito instinctively swiped to the right, cutting the soldier down. As the body of the soldier tumbled down to the right another soldier popped out from behind him. Kaito stood in horror, unable to reposition his guntō in time. The soldier grinned, and pulled the trigger.

The bullet grazed Kaito's head, cutting through several pieces of hair before lodging itself into the wooden wall behind him. He stumbled back, and the North Korean soldier prepared to fire another shot.

The butt of a rifle slammed into his face, and he collided into the ground. He tried to get up, but Tanya crushed his torso with her foot, and he screamed in pain. She then emptied an entire magazine in him, each bullet making the body jerk around.

She stepped back, examined her handiwork, and turned around to face Kaito. To his shock, her eyes were brimming with tears. Before he could react, she hugged him. "How could you be so reckless? You almost died! What would I do without you, Kaito-sama?" She cried. Kaito struggled to get out of her grasp, but was unable to.

"Why do you put yourself in such unnecessary danger? I can't even-how-please think for your safety!" Tanya dug her head into his chest, "At least allow me to be next to you!"

"No, no its really fine-" Kaito tried to argue but Tanya continued to cry.

"Please don't go out by yourself! I will rather sacrifice myself that to see you die!" Tanya hugged him even tighter.

Kaito's face flushed red, both from pain and embarrassment. "Ow-ow-ow, okay okay fine. I'll stop," He shouted.

Tanya looked up. "Promise?" She asked, tears staining her cheeks.

Kaito looked away, blushing. _Oh jeez, why does she look more pretty when she's crying?_ He glanced back at her. Her glasses glistened from the lights and the tears, and her lips were more visibly red. _She should do this more often, really,_ He thought guiltily. He smiled and nodded. "Okay, it's a promise," He said.

Tanya hugged him even tighter. "Oh, yes!" She shouted.

"So, how long are you guys are going to do this?" A voice jolted Tanya away from Kaito. Lasagna and Nishi was standing there, watching them.

"How long have you been standing there?" Tanya demanded.

Nishi shrugged. "From 'At least allow me to be next to you'!" She howled in the same tone that Tanya cried in. Lasagna chuckled with laughter. However, Tanya's piercing glare shut them both up.

Tanya wiped her face. "How's it going?" She asked in an annoyed tone.

"We've secured all four stories, ma'am!" Lasagna reported.

Tanya grabbed Kaito's hand. "Good," She walked past the two terrified soldiers. She turned her face towards them. "I hope you continue the good work!" She said with a bright smile, and the two quickly nodded their heads in agreement. "Let's go." She grabbed Kaito's hand and walked off, both still red in the face.

 **Two hours later, Urasoe district, Okinawa**

Kaito and Tanya run across the bridge over Urasoe Dai Park, while under North Korean fire.

Kaito, who led the front, leaned against the bridge wall, glanced back at Tanya. _I guess I have to hold back,_ He thought. "Nishi! Lasagna! Cover us, we have to reach the tunnel!" He shouted.

"Yes, sir!" They replied. They began firing at the top of the tunnel, where several North Koreans were hiding.

"Let's go!" Kaito shouted, and the rest of the group trudged across the bridge, ducking behind abandoned cars. Windows broke as bullets crashed through them.

The entrance of the tunnel was blocked by a line of sandbags and machine guns.

"Earl Grey, grenade launcher," Kaito ordered. Earl Grey ran to the car, and aimed it up. She fired, and the grenade flew towards the enemy position. After a loud _boom,_ the sandbags were thrown into the air. North Korean soldiers scattered as the Japanese attacked.

The tunnel was a makeshift base, filled with personnel and supplies, ammunition carefully stored at the side. As the Emperor's regiment pushed forwards medical and reserve personnel threw their arms up and surrendered.

Kaito watched the soldiers as they dragged the enemies to the rear. "Okay, we need to move against…" He started.

"Urasoeundo Park," Tanya finished.

"Thank you," Kaito said. "This sure is tough." He breathed out.

Tanya smiled. "We're almost finished," She replied.

"Move out!" Kaito shouted, and the soldiers start their advance towards the park. They halted by the street adjacent to the park. "Okay, Bermuda Trio, you lead the 3rd company to the track field. Lasagna, Nishi, attack the gymnastics center with the 4th company. Earl Grey and Naoki, you two will lead the 7th company will attack Urasoe Gymnastics. The rest will be lead by me to the baseball field." He ordered.

…..

Earl Grey and Naoki ran through the park, jumping over benches and tables.

"Shit, take cover!" Naoki yelled as from the second floor of the Urasoe Gymnastics was lit by gunfire. They ducked their heads down while bullets flew over them. They raced towards the door, ready to smash it down with their rifles. When they got to the door, Naoki began swung his rifle against the door, while other soldiers began hitting the door with their rifles and boots.

The door broke down, and troops began pouring in. When they entered, they were met by gunfire from the entire building. Earl Grey fired her grenade launcher, blowing up squads of enemy troops.

"Go go go!" Naoki waved his hand as more soldiers ran in. The floor was already littered with bodies from both sides.

Naoki fired at the second story, taking down two soldiers. As he unloaded the magazine, and was putting on a new one when a North Korean soldier charged him. Naoki dodged him, and slammed the rifle in the soldier's face. The soldier staggered down, placing his hand on his face, groaning loudly. Naoki pointed his gun at the soldier and fired. The man stopped moving, and Naoki ran past his dead body.

Earl Grey calmly launched grenade after grenade across the room, blowing up entire rooms full of North Koreans.

"Ma'am, please be careful!" A soldier cried out, "You might hit friendlies!"

Earl Grey smiled. "Don't worry about it," She said as she fired another grenade. It exploded at the ceiling, taking down three tiles. "Let's go!" She shouted, leading a squad of soldiers down the hall.

Two soldiers next to her fell down as the hallway was lit up by gunfire. "Get down!" she jumped down onto the ground, her yellow hair swishing behind her. The wall behind her became riddled with bullet holes. The rest of the squad crawled under the hail of gunfire as Earl Grey loaded her grenade launcher. She licked her lips as she raised the launcher. She fired, and the grenade whined as it flew across the corridor, landing perfectly in the makeshift bunker. The grenade exploded, turning the occupants into ground meat.

They advanced, taking down more enemy soldiers, leaving a trail of bodies and blood behind them. Eventually the remaining North Korean soldiers either ran or surrendered.

Naoki wiped his forehead. "Whew, thank god that's over with," He said.

Earl Grey smiled. "Maybe we should help out the commander out," she suggested.

Naoki grinned. "What else are we supposed to do?"

…...

"God damn we are getting nowhere!" Megumi shouted. Azumi gritted her teeth in anger. The field was filled with tracers, bullets and bodies. Trenches zigzagged through the field, providing some protection for the North Korean soldiers. Rumi flung a grenade across the field, landing in a trench. It blew apart, with grass and dirt being thrown out. Rumi then dashed into the field, entered the trench and began shooting through the defenders. The machine gun position, panicked tried to turn their guns on Rumi, but Rumi easily took them all down.

"Gah!" Azumi tackled down a North Korean soldier down on the ground. He tried to swipe her, but she raised her head and the fist hit dead air. She punched the soldier in the face, and the side of his head slammed down to the ground. He kneed her in the gut, and she flew off like a rocket. She landed with a heavy _thud_ , and the soldier charged after her. She quickly got up and prepared for impact.

Right when he was about to hit her, she ducked, and he flew across her. Unfortunately in front was him was a tangled mass of barbed wire. He landed, and his entire body and face became glued to the bramble of wire. He shrieked in pain as his entire body was jabbed by the sharp points. He struggled to get off, but the coiled wire prevented him from doing so. Azumi placed her foot on the man's back, and he screamed as she pushed him deeper into the barbed wire, before putting a single bullet in his neck.

Megumi was struggling to put a magazine in her rifle when several North Koreans, brandishing their bayonets ran towards her. Megumi, with a small wail, panicked and ran away. The soldiers chased her across the field until they were stopped by Japanese troops. Megumi tripped and fell, sprawling across the ground. To her dismay, several soldiers began snickering at her, and she teared up as she stood up.

Rumi had grabbed a machine gun and aimed it towards the North Koreans. Hundreds of shell cases flew out of the ejection port as she sprayed the entire field. Dozens of North Koreans were cut down where they stood. However, more poured in from the rear of the field. Rumi clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Dammit…" She muttered. "How many troops do they have?"

Azumi hurled a North Korean soldier over her shoulder, slamming him against the ground. He attempted to get up but Azumi smashed her foot against his face and blasted his chest open with a few shots. She looked over and saw the swarm of fresh enemies entering the field. "Oh, come on!" She shouted exasperatedly. She swiveled her arm to aim her gun at them.

Megumi fired off shots at the enemy, killing several instantly. She dug into her pocket and fished out a grenade. She unpinned it and tossed it to the other side. It landed next to a sandbag. It exploded, but didn't do any damage. The North Korean soldiers hiding behind the sandbags peeked back up and began firing at Megumi. She cursed and ran for cover.

Rumi kept squads of enemy soldiers away from her trench, pivoting left and right. No soldier put their head up when Rumi had her gun pointed at him. The gun stopped firing, and Rumi cursed. _Damn thing jammed, stupid North Korean junk!_ She thought to herself as she was unjamming the weapon. She looked up to see three squad's worth of North Koreans charging her. She groaned as they came closer.

When the first North Korean jumped into the trench Rumi flung the machine gun at them. The machine gun made contact with two soldiers, and the weapon pushed them to the ground. She unholstered a pistol and a knife and jumped on top the two soldiers. She landed on their guts, and they groaned in pain. She put a bullet in the skull of one soldier and dug the knife in the neck of the other.

More soldiers jumped in, and Rumi began fighting them in close quarters. She continued to slice and shoot her way through the mass of enemy soldiers. She pressed her fingers against the grip, and the magazine fell to the ground. She grabs another magazine from a pouch and slides it in, before shooting down more soldiers. One soldier tries to get her from behind, but Rumi flipped the knife and stabbed him in the eye. She ripped the knife out, along with the eyeball and streams of blood. The soldier stumbled back, and Rumi pushed the body to the ground with a back kick. She ducked down and grabbed a soldier by the chin. She pushed it up and slashed his neck. She threw the body aside, and pounced on another soldier. She pushed him to the side of the trench and opened up a his gut open with a few shots. She slammed the body against another soldier who grunted in pain. He tried to push the body off but Rumi pressed harder. She placed the barrel of the pistol up to the soldier's neck. The ensuing shot blew his head apart, splattering his brain against the walls of the trenches. She glanced around her surroundings, and saw herself surrounded. She ducked, and two North Korean soldiers crashed into each other. She ran across the trench, and jumped out of the trench.

Azumi was on point, gunning down North Koreans left and right. She shoved her hand into her pocket, and grew pale when she found it empty. _Damn, I'm out!_ She ran into a trench for cover, followed behind by a flurry of bullets. She threw her weapon down and searched for a new weapon. Lucky for her, she found a dead soldier with a Type 23 Carbine lying next to him. She reached for it, trying to avoid the brain matter and meat around the carbine. She picked it up with two fingers and found it soaked with blood. She grumbled in disgust and wiped the blood against the ground.

Megumi sat behind a trench, quivering. _Why does this have to happen?_ She whimpered. She looked over, and ducked back behind as a hail of bullets flew by. _How long is this going to be?_ She emptied a magazine, raising her rifle above her head and firing haphazardly. She huddled into a ball, cradling her legs with her arms.

"We have armor support!" Somebody cried. Megumi looked over. Several Type 10 MBT rolled into the field, followed by several Type 100 APCs and helicopters in the air.

"Finally!" Rumi shouted.

Azumi grinned. "We've got this in the bag now!"

The North Korean soldiers began to pull back; they lost most of their troops and had no armor to assist them. The Japanese began to push forwards, taking out the remaining few defensive positions in the field. Rumi kneels down on the ground and took aim at the backs of retreating North Koreans. With several shots those backs fell forward, peppered by rifle fire.

Nearly one hundred North Koreans began streaming out the field, turning their backs on the Japanese. They began gunning the retreating enemy down, killing dozens at a time. Helicopters shot rockets at them, blowing them into pieces of meat and bones.

Rumi, Azumi and Megumi stood in the center of the field, which was packed with dead bodies.

"Yuck," Rumi raised her foot, with brains sticking to the bottom.

Azumi turned to Megumi. "Are you alright?" She asked.

Megumi nodded. "I'm fine," She replied, her lips quivering. "We've made one hell of a mess." She noted.

….

Lasagna and Nishi stood by the doorway, waiting. A soldier placed some C4 at the base of the door.

"Stand back!" A soldier shouted, and they all moved away from the door.

The door exploded, showering everyone with wooden splinters.

"Move in!" Nishi shouted. They all stormed in, only to be met with silence.

"What the…" Lasagna muttered.

Nishi looked around. The entire lobby was trashed. Chairs and tables were flipped over, papers littered all over the room."No enemies," She muttered. "Search the entire building!" She ordered, and the soldiers scurried like ants.

…...

Nishi and Lasagna sat down on a bench. Nishi sighed heavily. "Looks like we'll have bit of a rest," She muttered.

Lasagna patted her on the back. "We worked pretty damn hard so I think we deserve it," He said. He leaned against the wall. "Just how many enemies did we kill out there?"

"One hundred? Two hundred? Maybe even three hundred," Nishi counted off her fingers. "We've been working like a damn horse."

"It's because of that commander," Lasagna said.

Nishi nodded in agreement. "He really does push us. He pushes himself too. He's pretty stupid at times too," she mumbled.

"No wonder Tanya's so protective of him," Lasagna looked at Nishi. "Remember how she was acting at the university?"

Nishi glanced back. "Yeah? She was crying into the commander?" A smile formed on her lips. "That was pretty funny. It's pretty rare to see the two unemotional robots acting in such a way; one of them blubbering and the other one standing there with the reddest face I've ever seen."

Lasagna had to stifle a laugh. "Oh, yeah. She was wailing like a baby,"

"Well, I guess that means she cares for the commander a lot, huh," Nishi said after a while of silence.

Lasagna nodded. "I don't think she ever told us how they've met. They've always been together since training, maybe even before. Is Tanya some kind of bodyguard for the commander?" He waved his hand around.

Nishi shrugged. "Who knows. We'll get her to talk one day," She smiled devilishly.

Lasagna smirked. "Get her drunk and she'll spill everything,"

"I've never seen her drunk though…" Nishi trailed off.

"The commander's never gotten drunk either," Lasagna agreed. "How about tea? Earl Grey drinks way too much tea for a normal person," He said.

"She's from St. Gloriana. What do you expect?" Nishi took out a cigarette, "Earl Grey is a tea after all."

"And that Naoki is always chasing her."

"He's probably the nicest one in this group. Sucks his sister died," Nishi lit up the cigarette and put it up to her lips. She inhaled deeply, then exhaled. "Then there's the Bermuda trio. I don't know what the hell's going on in their heads…"

"They're obsessed with their commander Alice," Lasagna said.

"As in, Shimada Alice?" Nishi asked, and Lasagna nodded. "That little girl."

Nishi and Lasagna sighed. "Why do we have to be surrounded by the weird ones?" They shouted.

"Sir, ma'am!" A soldier saluted.

"What is it?" Lasagna asked.

"We scoped the entire building, but no enemies were found," The soldier reported.

Lasagna nodded his head. "Thanks. We'll rest up a bit before heading out, He told the soldier.

…...

"Woohoo!" Kaito swung through a squad of soldiers, his guntō glistened red from the sunlight from all the blood. He jumped over several flights of bleachers, kicking down several enemies out from the stands.

"Kaito-sama, please be careful!" Tanya pleaded from behind, gunning down soldiers trying to shoot Kaito from behind.

Kaito groaned. "Okay," He said, jumping back up, grabbing onto Tanya's pants. He slashed across the chest of a soldier, and he fell backwards, blood shooting up.

The battle for the bleachers was well underway. Hundreds of soldiers ran through the bleachers, shooting and stabbing each other.

"Hey lovebirds, stop hugging each other and continue killing!" Hiroi shouted from above.

Tanya turned a bright shade of pink. "Wha-wha-no!" She grabbed her hands.

"Oh, get over it," Kaito stabbed a man through the throat. Tanya began shooting at the enemies down at the field, but is missing due to the tears that were forming in her eyes.

…..

A soldier lunged at Hiroi, bayonet flashing. Hiroi swiveled his rifle up, hitting the soldier's throat. His head whirled up, and he fell backwards. Hiroi turned his rifle and fired down at him. The soldier body jerked around as bullets lodged themselves in him. Another soldier lunged from behind, and Hiroi slammed the butt of his rifle against the soldier's abdomen. The soldier gritted in pain, before Hiroi hit him again with his rifle, putting him down.

…..

Tanya was cutting down enemy soldiers when her head jerked backwards and pain shot through her head. A North Korean had grabbed her by the long hair and dragged her down to the metallic bench. She tried to get up, but the soldier kept pulling her hair down, not letting her get back up. He stomped on her hair with his boot and slid back across the bench, pulling her hair and head back even more. She teared up in pain, and had to close her eyes shut. The soldier grinned and pointed his gun right at her face. Tanya kept her eyes closed, knowing what the next seconds will be her last. _Kaito-sama,_ She thought. _I'm sorry._

She felt hot liquid land on her face. Her eyes bolted open and saw the soldier, leaning forwards, a blade sticking through his chest. The sword retracts, pulling the body along with it. Even more blood drips down onto Tanya, who wipes it with her sleeve. Her eyes adjust, and see Kaito leaning above her, grinning. "What are you doing? You should be more careful!" He laughed.

Tanya started to laugh as well, tears flowing down her cheeks. "I should follow my own advice," She choked out, sitting back up. Kaito dug into his pocket and produced a handkerchief and wiped Tanya's face.

She reddened, and turned away. "What's with you, Kaito-sama?" She stammered out.

"Tanya, you should really care for yourself more. You've always been like this," He got onto the bleachers and hugged her. "Thank you." He whispered into her ear. He stood up. "And you look cute when you cry." He added with a grin.

Tanya took a step back, shocked. "I-I-I-what?" She stammered out, her face on fire. She covered her face with her hands. "No, no no! I can't-even-I!" She cried, unable to form complete sentences.

"Hey, you damn lovers! Seriously, get with the program already!" Hiroi hollered, shaking the two back into reality.

"Yeah, sorry," Kaito took a step and kissed Tanya on the cheek. "Don't die." He jumped down and charged towards a group of North Korean soldiers. Tanya slapped herself, and began gunning down North Korean soldiers once more, a large smile on her face.

…...

"God, what is with those two?" Hiroi muttered as he shot down North Korean troops to pieces. "That whole entire regiment is god damn crazy…" He threw the empty magazine out, hitting a soldier in the head in the process. He places another magazine into the rifle. "Maho is pretty strange, but she's nice…" He took a potshot across the field, hitting a soldier in the head in the bleachers across. "Then there's vice commander Erika. She's always so damn grumpy…" He pushed down a North Korean soldier before stomping on his face with his foot. He smashed his foot once again, this time against his throat. "Gah…" The blood spattered against his boots. He kicked the body away in disgust.

….

Kaito swiped his guntō, cleanly decapitating two soldiers. He kicked the two headless soldiers off the bleachers, and they fell down several flights before landing on several North Korean soldiers. He smiled, and swung out, creating a bloody gash across one soldier's face, almost cutting his head in half.

By now the North Koreans surrounding him were taking several steps back, clearly afraid of him. They made a circle around him, pointing their barrels at him. One officer waved his hand, and they all charged him. Kaito sighed, and sprang forwards. He jumped headfirst into the North Koreans, and in a whirlwind of steel and blood, emerged from the other side covered in blood, but otherwise unharmed. The North Koreans on the other side stopped in their tracks, horrified at the scene before them. Kaito turned around, and the North Koreans ran. Kaito smiled fiendishly, and chased after them.

He jumped on the back of one soldier, stabbing him through the spine. He jumped off, pulling the guntō out. He turned around and stabbed another through the nose. He ran forwards, pivoting his wrist to swiftly swing the guntō around, slicing an arm off and into the stomach of a soldier. He ripped the guntō out, creating a large gash in the body of the soldier.

A North Korean bashed the butt of his rifle against the back of Kaito's head, and a blistering pain shot through him. He fell down, his head bouncing off the metallic bleachers.

"God damn…" He muttered. He eyes widened as the North Korean soldier loomed over him, lowering his rifle towards kaito's face. Kaito rolled out of the way as the rifle made a _clanging_ noise as it made contact with the bleachers. He jumped back up to the surprise of the North Korean soldier. Angry, Kaito struck him down, cutting through his back.

He felt his head; it was sticky with blood. "Oh god," He muttered. He swayed back and forth, his head throbbing in pain. _Jeez, how will Tanya react when she sees this?_ He thought. _She's going to go ballistic. Maybe she's right, I am pushing myself too far. I need to tone it down, not only for Tanya, but for myself as well._ Another thought crossed his mind. _Erika too. I've finally seen her for the first time in weeks. I can't die now._ A soldier swung his rifle towards Kaito, who ducked and stabbed the man through the eye. _I have to live through this for her too._ He grimaced, and placed his hand against his head. _I want to see her again, even if it's for one more time._

He staggered forwards, and his head was really hurting now. He unable to balance himself properly.

"Commander!" A soldier ran over.

Kaito placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm fine. We need to focus-"

"Reinforcements incoming!" Someone shouted. Kaito and the soldier look over towards the field. From the entrances come streaming in the soldiers that fought in the Gymnasium, Gymnastics Center and Track Field.

"No worries commander, we're here to the rescue!" Naoki shouted.

"Don't worry, commander. We are here to assist you." Earl Grey smiled from behind.

"We're here to kick some ass!" Nishi shouted.

"We're at full health and full stamina!" Lasagna added.

"Bermuda Trio is present!" Azumi reported.

Hiroi smiled. "Well, well. Seems the slowpokes are finally here," He jeered. He leveled his rifle against a squad of North Korean soldiers. "I guess you'll just have to contend with being the cleanup crew."

…..

Kaito leaned against the soldier, watching the reinforcements sweep the field clean of North Korean soldiers. North Korean troops attempt to hold them back, but the tide had turned too much against them. Waves of bullets, grenades and rockets obliterated the remaining soldiers.

….

Tanya smiled as she leaned against the her rifle, looking at the Japanese troops that were celebrating over their hard-won victory. She glanced around, looking for Kaito. _Kaito-sama, where are you?_ She thought. She spotted amongst the crowd. And began running towards him. A wave of fear washed over her when she saw him collapse to the floor.

…..

Kaito smiled, content with the victory.

"Commander!" Earl Grey and Naoki ran up to him. "What the hell happened?"

Kaito felt his head. "Oh, this? This is nothing," He breathed out.

Earl Grey had a look of concern on her face. "Somebody call a medic!" She ordered.

Kaito shook his head. "No need to-" He couldn't finish his sentence as another wave of pain overtook him. He felt the energy leave his entire body, and the last thing he saw before his vision turned pitch black was the pained face of Tanya, sobbing over him.


	23. Masamune

**Chapter Twenty two: Masamune**

Kaito bolted upright in a cold sweat. The first thing he noticed was that it was nighttime; the moon shined through the window, illuminating the room. He looked around, and saw he was in a hospital room. There was medical equipment next to his white bed. His eyes widened when he saw Erika sleeping in a chair next to his bed. He looked down, and saw Tanya laying across the bed, her head laying on his legs. He felt his head. It was wrapped by a long, smooth bandage.

He looked at both girls with a smile. He didn't know how long he was here, but he appreciated them being here. He leaned back in his bed, placing his head in his pillow.

He felt movement by his legs; Tanya, in her sleep had snuggled up to his torso. Slightly embarrassed, he gently moved his hand through Tanya's unbraided hair. He felt something once again; he looked to his left and saw Erika had taken his left hand with her own in her sleep. He gripped her hand tightly as he let himself drift back to sleep.

 **Several hours later**

Kaito woke up again, this time in a room flooded by sunlight. He looked around, but he was the only person in the room. _Where am I and how long have I been here?_ He thought to himself as he ruffled his disheveled hair.

"Well, well. The sleepy head is finally awake." The calm voice jerked Kaito towards the door of the room. There stood Maho, on crutches. Her right leg was in a white cast.

Kaito cocked his head to the left in confusion. "What the hell happened to you?" He asked.

Maho smiled. "Hot shrapnel into my legs. They've taken most of them out, but I won't be able to walk properly for a few days," She replied.

Kaito was about to ask another question but Maho stopped him. "We're in the Urasoe General Hospital. We've both been here for the past six days, while the battle has been raging around us. We've taken all of the objectives before Naha itself," She explained.

Kaito placed his hands over his forehead. "I've been sleeping here for six days," He repeated.

Maho nodded. "You wouldn't believe how hysterical Tanya was. She thought you were going to die," She glanced at Kaito's bandage. "You did lose a lot of blood. The doctors needed a blood transfusion to keep you stable." She stopped a minute, before continuing. "Erika was losing sleep over you as well. Both of them spent all day in here. I think Erika spends more time with you than with me, to be honest."

"So I'm just a source of stress for everyone." Kaito muttered.

Maho chuckled a little bit. "Maybe. But that just shows how much everyone cares for you," She hobbled over to the bed.

Kaito sighed. "I guess so," He whispered.

"How would you like it if someone you cared for kept on getting themselves hurt?" Maho asked.

Kaito groaned. "Fine, fine. I get it! I'll stop!" He shouted exasperatedly.

Maho smiled. "I guess I finally got it through your thick head that even a gun couldn't break open," She teased.

Kaito glared at her. "You little…" He rose out from his bed, and Maho leaned back.

"Already this active? Guess I should better tell everybody!" She exclaimed. "They'll be relieved you're alright." She said softly.

Kaito inhaled deeply. "How did the battle go?" He asked in a serious tone.

Maho nodded. "As I've already told you, we've taken all objectives, save for Naha itself. The final operation's going to commence in a few hours, I was told," She explained.

"Do you have any idea of the casualty figures?" Kaito asked.

"Casualties are heavy. We suffered around 21,000 casualties, with at least 7,000 killed. The enemy suffered even heavier casualties; 39,000 casualties, with 22,000 killed," Maho replied.

Kaito raised his eyebrows. "That is a lot of people killed," He said.

Maho nodded in agreement. "The enemy are panicking right now, according to command. They're evacuating large amounts of wounded and supplies," She said.

Kaito grinned. "I gotta go out," He exclaimed. "I have to be in the final fight."

He was about to jump up but Maho pushed him down with one of her crutches. "No," She said sternly. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't even think about it."

"But…" Kaito stammered out, but Maho cut him off.

"This is what we're talking about! You always want to jump into the center of action. This disregard of your own life is what scares us!" She shouted. "Please don't…" She muttered.

"Nishizumi Maho-san!" A voice called out from the hallway.

Maho turned her head. "I'll be there in a second!" She shouted back. She looked back at Kaito. "Please think carefully." She asked. She wobbled out, leaving Kaito alone.

Maho limped back to her room, to see Erika sitting by the bed. "Erika." she said, somewhat surprised.

Erika stood up. "Commander!" She shouted.

Maho stumbled into her bed. "I talked to Kaito," She breathed out.

Erika's face lit up. "Really?"

"Yeah. He seems to be fine." Maho told her.

Erika exhaled. "Thank God," She placed her hand over her heart. "Thank God."

Maho smiled. "Good to see you in good spirits," She said.

Erika glanced at her. "What do you mean?" She asked.

Maho chuckled. "Well, you were quite down for the last week. You wouldn't eat your meals at times. Maybe you haven't even noticed it," She told her.

Erika's face turned red. "What? I-I-" She shouted.

"It's alright. It's completely fine," Maho reassured her. "I'm happy you found someone that you care for." Erika looked at her, shocked. Maho gently took her hand. "You know I will always support you. Do what you need to do." She told Erika.

Erika hugged Maho. "Thank you!" She cried.

Maho wiped the tears off of Erika's cheeks. "Don't worry about it," Erika stood back up and ran out the room. Maho turned and looked out the window, watching the bustle of soldiers and vehicles below.

"Kaito!" Erika stormed into the hospital room.

"Erika!" Kaito swiftly turned his head towards the door. "Come in!"

Erika slowly tiptoed her way next to Kaito. "I, I'm glad you're okay," She fidgeted in her seat, blushing furiously.

Kaito turned also red. "Thanks. You were really worried for me, right?" Erika nodded furiously.

He smiled. "Well, I woke up last night, and you were still looking over me," He told her. Erika scooted back and covered her face.

"But, I'm happy that you did. It made me happy." Kaito backtracked.

Erika peeked from her fingers. "Really?" She mumbled. Kaito nodded. Erika scooted back next to Kaito.

"Are you going back to the front lines?" Kaito asked.

"Yeah," Erika answered. "I am."

"Then take me with you." Kaito shouted.

"What?" Erika was taken aback.

"Yeah. I want to fight," Kaito exclaimed.

"But you're hurt!" Erika grabbed Kaito's hands. "You were just wounded. You can't just-"

"I know I'm being selfish. But I need to be in the fight." Kaito exclaimed. "Of course, I know you all will disapprove. Especially Tanya. But I have to do this. I want to do this. I want to-" He inhaled deeply, "I want to fight with you." He said without thinking. "It's been so long since I saw you, and I missed being with you. And now I have the chance to fight with you again, but now this is trying to stop me. But I won't let a head injury stop me this time." Kaito announced.

Erika looked down at her lap. "Don't say that," She muttered. "I just want you to be safe."

Kaito leaned up against Erika. "I know. I want you to be safe too," He whispered, "We can keep each other safe."

Erika turned a deeper shade of red. "I guess it's fine then…" She muttered.

"Kaito-sama?" Kaito fell back into his bed and Erika quickly scooted out of the way as Tanya walked in the room. She eyed the both of them before strolled over to the bed. "How are you feeling?" She asked in a sweet voice.

"Fine," Kaito mumbled.

Tanya beamed. "Great!" She took Kaito's hand. "If you're thinking about going out to fight, don't do it. I will find out, and a North Korean bullet will be the least of your worries." She cheerfully told him, giving him a wink at the end. "I'll come back in one piece," She turned around and walked out of the room.

Erika and Kaito both stared at each other in an awkward silence.

"Wow," Kaito said after a while.

"Is that going to change your mind?" Erika asked. Kaito crossed his arms in thought.

Erika stood up. "Do what you think is best," She said. She turned to leave the room, but turned around. "You need to shave." She said, before walking out of the room.

 **An hour later**

Erika strapped a helmet on her head and grabbed a Type 23 carbine as she strutted out of the hospital. The crew stood at attention when they saw her.

"Are you ready for the fight?" Erika asked.

"Yes, ma'am!" The crew answered.

…..

"So vice-commander, where's our objectives?" Lasagna asked. The Emperor's regiment looked over several maps.

Tanya adjusted her glasses. "We have to take Sueyoshi Park, the Art Museum, the University and Shuri Castle. Then we'll have to go to the harbor," She explained.

Lasagna nodded. "Hm, that'll be hard," He noted.

"Yeah, but we have an advantage in numbers and material," Tanya waved her hand. "We'll also have naval support." She said.

"Really?" Nishi slammed her hands against the table.

"Yup. It's not the navy, but an international marine organizations called the….." Tanya thought for a minute. "Blue mermaids or something along the sorts. Whatever, in any case they'll be assisting us in this final operation." She said.

"Any help is welcome," Naoki said.

"They're high school students, like the Kuromorimine Senshadou team. Well, after how much Kuromorimine helped us out, I don't think having High Schoolers having our back as particularly concerning," Tanya replied.

"I agree. It'll help us finish this faster," Megumi said.

Tanya nodded. "If we give the enemy a hard push, they're going to break," She said.

…..

Erika walked down the street, followed by the rest of the Kuromorimine Senshadou team. The assortment of Panzers were lined up against the parking garage, next to dozens of APCs, IFV, IFVs and Armored cars. She stopped by her Panzer XII, leaning against the side armor. "It's almost over," She whispered. "It's almost over."

Kanagawa walked over. "Vice-commander?" She asked.

Erika glanced over. "I'm just a little stressed, that's all," She said.

Kanagawa smiled. "Yeah, after this we'll be going home,"

"We'll be leaving this island…" Erika muttered. _We're finally going to leave this Godforsaken island..._ She thought. The memories from the past weeks flooded into her; the first time she had to shoot down an enemy; classmates burning to death, the charred ruins of tanks from both sides, and when she was almost killed. The laugh of Koume filled her with sadness and nostalgia. She would have to endure only a few days until she can go home. With Maho and Kaito, and with all her friends.

"Vice-commander? Are you alright?" Kanagawa asked.

Erika had been scowling at the Panzer. She sighed, and fixed her composure. "Sorry," She said. "I'm just…"

Kanagawa nodded. "It's alright," She replied. "Here, take this." She handed Erika a bottle of water, who received it gladly.

After several long gulps, she handed it back. "It's just that we're actually going home after this."

"Yeah. Back on the school carrier and back to Kumamoto," Kanagawa said. "We'll have to work twice as hard to go home earlier."

Erika stretched out her arms and legs. "Are you ready to fight?" She asked.

Kanagawa smiled. "Yes, vice-commander," She answered.

Erika also smiled. "Yeah, me too,"

"Ladies! We're going to move out!" A voice rang out.

Erika straightened up and turned back to the group of girls behind her. "Girls, get into your Panzers!" She ordered.

….

The lines of Panzers rolled out of the garage, choking the already clogged streets by dozens of APCs and IFVs. Soldiers leisurely strolled down the road, marching towards the North Korean lines. Erika leaned out the cupola of her Panzer XII and looked up at the clear blue sky. She watched the jets fly overhead, firing missiles towards the enemy.

She noticed one soldier walking briskly by her Panzer. He was shorter than the rest of the soldiers, and his face was covered by his helmet. He glanced up at Erika, and she recognized his brown eyes. "Kaito." She said sternly.

Kaito froze, and slowly turned his head. "Oh, hey," He sputtered out.

Erika sighed. "So you've managed to sneak out of the hospital?" She asked. Kaito nodded sheepishly.

Erika's shoulders slumped down. "Okay, whatever," She said. "Good for you." Kaito jumped onto the Panzer XII.

"What are you doing?" Erika shouted.

Kaito grinned. "I didn't come out here for nothing," He replied.

Erika slumped her shoulders. "Okay…" She muttered.

…..

The stream of vehicles and soldiers splintered off as they set off to their separate objectives. The Panzers rolled forwards towards Sueyoshi Park. Within minutes they heard the _popping_ and _rattling_ of gunfire. Mushroom clouds of orange rose above the city. The Panzer convoy zigzagged through the streets, avoiding the more defended blocks.

Kaito held on tightly as the Panzer XII shook, as each bullet and explosion rocked it back and forth. Erika grabbed onto Kaito's shoulder, steadying him.

APCs stopped, unloading dozens of soldiers in the streets.

Kaito grinned. "This is my stop. Meet you at the other side," He said, jumping off the turret and ran after a squad of soldiers, who broke into a house across the street.

The Panzers broke into a thick forest, the view of the buildings replaced by tall, green trees and grass. A tree branch swung low, aiming towards Erika. Erika dipped her head, and the tree branch whipped past her head. "Spread out!" She shouted, and the Panzer column quickly dispersed into the forest.

She heard an explosion, and gasped as she saw a tree bend downward, creaking as it broke in half. The Panzer XII screeched to a halt as the tree fell in front of the Panzer, throwing launching pieces of bark in every direction. She looked around, and from in between the trees saw a Pokpung-Ho IV tank. "Enemy tank, nine o'clock!" She shouted.

"Yes, vice-commander!" The gunner exclaimed as she turned the turret. It swiveled 60 degrees, before jolting to a stop and firing once. The Pokpung-Ho IV exploded, showering the surrounding trees with sparks.

" _Enemy formation west of us_!"

" _Enemy counterattack! We're under fire!_ "

" _The enemy is everywhere! We're pinned!_ "

Erika's radio erupted with cries of confusion and panic from her classmates. "Don't falter! If you stop for even a second, you'll be surrounded!" She shouted. _This must be their final desperate moment,_ Erika thought, _Well, fortunately or unfortunately, we'll crush you like the others._

"Commander! Two enemy vehicles!" Her driver said, peering through the observation slits. "One Chonma-Ho and one Pokpung-Ho tank!" She confirmed.

Erika gritted her teeth. "Take them out!" She ordered. The barrel bobbed up and down as it lobbied a shell through the trees, hitting the Chonma-ho in the side. It fired back, missing the Panzer XII by several meters. The Panzer XII fired again, this time hitting the Chonma-Ho in the front armor. The Panzer XII moved backwards, dodging the shot fired by the Pokpung-Ho tank. The Pokpung-Ho blew up after a Jagdpanzer IV sneaked up behind it, firing at its engine.

The Panzer XII and Jagdpanzer IV advanced through the forest, followed by several more Panzers. Branches and rocks crackled underneath the treads of the tanks. Shells howl past them, with trees crashing down all around them. "Commander, enemy vehicles 11 o'clock!" the driver shouted.

Erika clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Stop!" She ordered. The Panzer XII and Jagdpanzer shuddered to a stop, just under a slight hill. She could hear the _popping_ and explosions from across the forest. Tracers raced across the woods in the distant. The ground shook nonstop from all the fighting. An occasional bright explosion showed itself, and the constant black smoke that drifted up into the sky was coming from every crater and destroyed vehicle. She could even hear the _pinging_ of small arms fire against armor. Erika groaned. _Now there's infantry to deal with_ , she thought to herself.

From the right a Stug VI came rolling down, followed by two Panzer Xs.

The hatch of the Stug VI popped open, and a blonde girl with glasses came out. "Vice-commander! The enemy is regrouping just west of here. They have around twelve tanks remaining. Around three Pokpung-Hos, two Chonma-Hos, three old Type 59 MBTs and four M-2010 APCs." She reported.

Erika nodded. "Thanks. We're going to surround them, pushing them to the edge of the forest. We should try to push them out, exposing them to the infantry,"

The Panzer XII led the small group through the forest, until the remaining Panzers began joining the group. A formation of nearly sixteen Panzers roared through the forest, charging towards the final contingents of the North Korean armor.

Erika's eyes widened as she saw a glimpse of armor, glinting in between the trees and bushes. "Fire!" She ordered, and the Panzers launched a volley of fire through the woods, tearing down trees and ripping holes through the bushes. A Type 59 burst into flames, and several consecutive shots penetrated a Chonma-Ho. The wheels of a Pokpung-Ho roll out into the grass as the tracks were split apart. The North Korean tanks began firing back. Shells crisscrossed the forest, dirt and rocks flying all over the place. Erika ducked, letting a tracer fly over her. The Panzer XII fired a shell, penetrating an M-2010 APC. "Keep on firing!" Erika shouted.

Everyone was now on a steep hill, the North Koreans on the foot and the Japanese at the top, aiming down at the enemy. Barrage after barrage rained over the North Koreans, knocking out tanks one by one. The remainder of the tanks began to fall back, firing back as they went. The Panzers gave chase, following them through the thick foliage. The North Koreans split up, two tanks driving back up the hill, towards the Shinto shrine.

Erika grabbed her radio. "Three of you, follow me. The rest of you, continue chasing the retreating enemy!" The Stug VI, a Panzer X, and Jagdpanzer IV and Erika's Panzer XII followed the two tanks into the Shinto Shrines.

They entered the Shrine, and was surprised to see nobody.

"What the…" Erika muttered. Her Panzer XII drove around, covering all open ground. The Jagdpanzer cautiously drove up the stone stairs, bumping up and down for every step the treads crossed. It got up to the top, stopping for a second.

Suddenly it blew up, being shot from the side from a Chonma-Ho tank, barging out of the shrine and putting itself at an angle using the stairs leading to the shrine. It retreated back into the shrine as Erika and the other Panzers realized where one of the enemies were.

"Get him!" Erika shouted, but bit her tongue as the entire Panzer shook violently. She quickly turned around, and saw a Type 59 MBT peeping out of the tunnel underneath the shrine, its barrel smoking. Erika cursed, and banged on the top of the turret. The turret turned and blasted the obsolete piece of hardware into smithereens.

The Panzer X and Stug VI gunned its engines up the stairs, its guns aimed at the shrine. The commander of the Stug VI hesitated, not wanting to fire at a shrine, but the subsequent explosion, throwing pieces of concrete in the air changed her mind. The Stug VI roared forward, turning towards the shrine. It fired, and the shell crashed through the wooded structure and penetrated the side armor of the Chonma-Ho tank. The entire shrine collapsed on the tank, trapping the crew within. The Panzer X also fired towards the Chonma-Ho. The shell made contact, hitting the engine. The entire tank burst into flames, with the blaze spreading to the destroyed wooden structure.

Erika led the Stug VI and Panzer X back into the forest, following the rest of tanks. Eventually they caught up, with the occasional bright explosions showing itself through vegetation. Erika grinned as she saw the rear of a Pokpung-Po exposed. The tank exploded, flipping it over. The Panzer XII veered right, almost colliding with a friendly Panzer.

"Gyah! My bad vice-commander!" The commander of the Panzer X shouted in astonishment.

"No, I'm sorry," Erika apologized. "How many enemy tanks are left?" She asked.

"Only around four," The Panzer X commander reported.

Erika nodded. "Good, chase them down,"

The final remnants of the North Korean tanks fell back, towards the edge of the forest. Erika watched them as the Panzer XII stopped in front of them. The North Koreans panicked and drove out of the forest. Erika gave chase.

The North Korean tanks broke out of the forest, back into the city. The hatch of one of the Pokpung-Hos opened, and a tall, brown-haired man popped out. He wiped his sweaty brow with his hand. "Thank God we're out of there…" He muttered. But his solace were not to last; an explosion rocked his tank, and he grabbed his head in surprise. "What the hell?" He shouted. He turned, and saw a soldier with an RPG aimed right at him.

Kaito grinned. "Later sucker," He said as he fired another shot. The turret of the Pokpung-Ho shot up into the sky, covered by orange flames. From the forest burst out Erika and the other Panzers, firing down on the last North Koreans. Within a minute all the North Korean tanks were destroyed.

Kaito tossed the RPG to the side as he ran over to Erika's Panzer XII. "Hey!" He waved his hand. Erika waved back with a smile. Kaito jumped up and landed on the turret. "How was the fight?" He asked.

"Pretty intense," Erika answered.

Kaito nodded. "Yeah, I guess it always is,"

The Panzers began moving towards the Art Museum. Dozens of APCs and IFVs trailed behind, picking up soldiers and ferrying them to their next objective. As they crisscrossed the streets, they began to take heavy fire from North Korean infantry from the buildings. Bullets ricocheted off the armor as machine guns and rifles took aim at the Japanese below.

"God…" Erika turned her machine gun towards the houses and began firing, suppressing the North Koreans. Bullets ripped through the walls and hit the occupants inside. Explosions leveled entire floors as the Panzers rolled by. An APC exploded as a North Korean rocket hit the turret. A Panzer X turned its turret towards the third-story window, and when it fired the windows shattered and the wall collapsed.

The road was covered with potholes and craters, making the trip extremely uncomfortable for the men and women in the Panzers.

Each bump made Kaito jump up. "God!" He said every time, forcing Erika to burst into laughter.

They entered route 330, crossing it to get to the Art Museum. As they got closer to the Shintoshin Park, right next to the museum, they fell under fire from North Korean troops. Kaito jumped off the Panzer XII and dove to the ground. Hundreds of Japanese infantrymen stormed the park, throwing grenades and firing their assault rifles. The North Koreans fought back, gunning down several troops with their machine guns.

Kaito ran through the basketball court, slashing and cutting down dozens of North Korean troops. He grabbed the head of one soldier and smashed it against against the concrete floor of the court. He slashed the kneecaps of another. The soldier collapsed and Kaito cut his neck open. He jumped back when a North Korean soldier fired off several shots. He charged forward, putting the guntō through his neck. He looked around the basketball court. Most of the North Koreans were killed, the rest falling back into the Art Museum. Kaito dove to the ground as bullets bounced off the concrete ground.

…...

The Panzers began firing at the museum, destroying the ad hoc defensive positions. Rockets and missiles flew from both sides, with trails of smoke snaking through the sky.

One rocket headed directly towards Erika's Panzer XII. "Fuck! Move back!" She shouted. The Panzer XII gunned backward, the treads digging into the ground. It merely inched backwards, but it was enough; the rocket buried itself in front of the Panzer.

"Señora, you should be careful!" Francisca's bubbly voice made Erika throw her head backwards.

"Be quiet, you pipsqueak!" She shouted back. She drove off before Francisca could protest.

…..

Kaito ran across the green field of Shintoshin park, under red and orange tracers. Soldier after soldier fell down around him, but Kaito himself managed to stay alive as he reached the bridge.

He kneeled behind the raised steel bridge alongside another two hundred soldiers. Kaito peeked over the edge, and ducked back down as hundreds of North Korean sights all aimed at him. "Well, they dug defenses in the lawn, the usual trenches and barbed wire. It's almost monotonous," He told the other soldiers, who looked at him with a bewildered look. Other soldiers began setting up machine guns and firing back at the Art Museum. Grenade launchers fired, launching dozens of grenades into the air. The whole front lawn was turned into a piece of land full of craters. Dead bodies littered the ground.

"Let's go!" Kaito raised his guntō high in the air. "Advance!" He ran onto the bridge, followed by waves of soldiers. They charged forward, still under intense fire. Dozens of soldiers were cut down by the assault rifles and machine guns. They reached the treeline, and continued to advance. They reached the North Korean trenches, which was dotted with soldiers barely hanging onto life. They crawled out of their positions, begging for mercy. The Japanese threw them aside as they ran forwards.

The door was blocked by sandbags, iron boards and other heavy materials. "Take it down!" Kaito ordered, and a soldier aimed a rocket launcher. He fired, and the rocket imbedded itself into the door, and exploded. The door was blasted into pieces. The Japanese troops stormed through the door, where they were met with more defensive fire. Soldier after soldier fell forwards, but more poured in. Kaito joined in the charge, brandishing his blood-soaked guntō in the air. They ran through each room and corridor, gunning and cutting them down. The North Koreans used the art pieces as cover against the Japanese. Grenades blasted precious art into dust.

Kaito sliced through body after body, tossing them to the side. A screaming North Korean swung his rifle at Kaito, who jumped back in surprise. The North Korean brought the butt of his rifle on Kaito's head, who blocked it with his guntō. He kneed the soldier in the gut, and pushed him off. He dug his guntō in the man's stomach. He jumped onto another soldier and sliced his throat. One soldier aimed his AK47 style assault rifle and fired. Kaito ducked down, and the bullets hit the walls behind him. A Japanese soldier with a Type 23 carbine shot the North Korean down.

Several soldiers ran down the hallway, diving behind tables for cover.

"They brought a field gun!" One soldier shouted. The senior soldier peeked over over the table. His eyes bulged out when he saw the large barrel of a field gun aimed right at them. It fired, and the table shattered into hundreds of several pieces, and the soldiers were blown back.

Kaito was fighting with several soldiers, cutting arms, legs, faces, stomachs and necks. He pushed one soldier against the wall, hitting his head against a painting. He staggered back up and charged towards Kaito, who took a step back and swung his guntō. The blade sliced through the soldier's body, and blood spattered across the painting. Other Japanese troops were fighting the North Koreans in close combat. Bayonets jutted out, finding their mark in bodies. Rifles were completely covered in blood.

"God, how many are there?" Kaito shouted, as he stabbed another soldier. He looked around. Many Japanese soldiers have fallen, and the rest were slowly falling back.

Kaito was almost surrounded, with his last opening covered by a North Korean officer. _Oh, shit,_ he thought to himself. He took a few steps back, before turning around and dashing under the legs of a North Korean soldier. He cut down another soldier as he ran out of the room.

He hid behind the wall, looking back into the room. "God...that did not go well," He muttered. Many Japanese troops were now grouped up, firing into the room. Kaito wiped the sweat that formed over his forehead. He panted as he glued himself to the wall.

There was a loud sound coming from outside; it was the sound of a helicopter rotor just outside the walls of the room with the North Koreans. The next moment there was a loud chain-like noise, and the North Koreans began falling like flies. Hundreds of tiny holes punctured the thin wall, light shining through. Eventually a huge chunk falls down, and reveals a helicopter hovering outside.

Kaito looked on with delight as the gatling guns continued to clear the entire room of North Korean troops. He smiled when he scanned the room, after the helicopter killed all the soldiers. "Damn..." He mumbled. He ran out of the room and into another corridor.

Gunfire rang out as bullets threw themselves at Kaito. He jumped behind a fallen table as orange tracers bounced off the walls. He got out a grenade and pulled the pin. He threw it over his shoulder, and it sailed across the hallway and landed in the machine gun nest. An explosion of dust and fire erupted, and the machine gun fell silent.

A group of soldiers gathered around Kaito.

"The enemy has gathered themselves at the rear hall," One of them told Kaito.

Kaito nodded. "Alright, off we go then,"

They stormed through the building, passing wounded soldiers and North Koreans that had surrendered. They passed the gift shop, which was completely ransacked. They ran through the cafeteria, the trays strewn around the ground, and food was tossed around carelessly.

They passed the huge door, and saw the remaining North Koreans had set up a small sandbag position. One Japanese soldier tossed a grenade, and it landed behind the sandbags. It blew up, the sandbags jerking around as it was hit by shrapnel. The soldiers behind it screamed as they were showered with hot metal. The Japanese troops ran in, rifles at the ready. The last North Koreans stood up, hands in the air. They filed out of the room, towards Japanese lines.

Kaito sighed as he saw down. _That was tiring,_ he thought. _But we have to continue pushing on._

….

"Destroy those APCs!" Erika shouted. Across the street several M-2010 APCs stopped next to the Omoromachi Medical Center, dropping off several North Korean troops.

Erika fired her machine gun, killing the disembarking soldiers. The Panzer XII fired several times, disabling and destroying the APCs. Four Panzers rolled down the streets, destroying several North Korean guns and tanks. The North Koreans scattered as the Panzer column overran their positions. A Type 59 MBT came out to meet them, but its shells simply bounced off the Panzer's armor. Three shots from the Panzers destroyed the armor, smoke billowing out of the turret and compartment. Three Type 10 MBTs came from the right, charging through the breach they created. They stopped by the edge of the street, being engaged by Chonma-Ho and Pokpung-Ho tanks. The barrels made _popping_ noises, launching shells through buildings and cutting down street signs. The Chonma-Ho and Pokpung-Hos were hopelessly outmatched, and within minutes were a smoking mess.

Erika raced down the street, supporting the advancing infantry. She saw a squad of North Koreans running across the street, with machine guns in their arms. She peppered them down with the machine gun, killing four and forcing the rest to disperse. "Shit," She cursed. The Panzer XII rocked back as it fired again, tearing through a house and hitting the rear of a Type 59 MBT. Flames licked its engines and it exploded, throwing burning chunks of metal into the air.

The Panzer XII shook violently as a Chonma-Ho tank fired from the side. Erika twisted her neck and met eye to eye with the young North Korean commander. He was youthful, flowing black hair and a fair complexion. They both stared at each other, unmoving. She could see the uneasiness and fear in his eyes, and he could see it in her. He had a look of sadness on him. He looked like he didn't want to, he was afraid to do what he was about to do. He slowly raised his hand, ready to fire.

Erika jolted to action. "Fire!" She ordered. He also shouted to his crew.

Both tanks fired at the same time; Erika's vision was covered with smoke. She heard the loud roar of two barrels belching out a shell. The _screech_ of metal force her to cover her ears. The smoke cleared, and Erika saw the hull of the Chonma-Ho bright red, long fiery tendrils reaching out to the heavens. Erika felt a twinge of sadness in her, but she had to move on. She drove past the burning wreckage, not looking back.

…...

"Mierda!" Francisca slammed her fist against the turret of the AMX 31-E. "Why is their resistance getting even more stubborn?" All around her were empty tanks, holes punctured into their turrets and hulls. "I just keep on killing more!" She shouted. Infantry rifles _popped_ and _banged_ across the street, with orange and red tracers flying in all directions. Bullets _pinged_ off the sloped armor of the AMX-31 E. Four AMX-31 Es came up from behind, with six Type 10s forming the rear. They formed a line across the street, covering the entire block. Machine guns _rattled_ out, raining bullets down on North Koreans. The street was covered with rubble and burning pieces of wood. As the tanks advanced, they crushed flesh and bones of dead soldiers. A iron pipe fell from the sky, _clanging_ against the turret of Francisca, almost hitting her in the head. "Gah!" She shouted.

" _Four Chonma-Hos incoming!_ " Francisca's radio buzzed. She swore, and turning her AMX-31 E towards a street corner. "We'll deal with them." She told the panicked soldier across the radio. "Units 1, 6, 12, and 15, come with me!" She ordered. Four AMX-31 Es turned and followed Francisca down the city streets. "Let's see…" She muttered. She grinned as her AMX-31 E turned the street corner, nearly pushing down a telephone pole. The four Chonma-Hos sat there, not doing anything.

"Fire!" Francisca shouted, and crescendo of loud _pops_ and explosive _roars_ rang out, the Chonma-Hos bursting alight. Four smoke pillars pour out, with red flaming tentacles swirling around them. Crew members that were still alive tried to escape but short bursts of coaxial machine gunfire ended their struggle.

 **Shuri Castle**

"Take cover!" Soldiers screamed in agony as bullets shredded their limbs and torsos. Men pleaded for medics, who were too suppressed to move forwards. Clumps of dirt flew in the air, being thrown up by mortar rounds and bullet impacts. North Koreans poured gunfire from the top of the outer walls on the crawling Japanese troops below. Artillery guns spat out shells at the advancing Japanese, raining hot metal and fire from the skies. Trees shuddered as bullets bit them, throwing leaves and branches outside.

Tanya gritted her teeth as she wriggled across the sloping ground. She aimed her Howa Type 20 Assault rifle into the air, trying to shoot down a North Korean sniper. He fired first, and the bullet whizzed past Tanya's head. She fired back, shooting three shots at the tree above her. The sniper fell down back to the Earth, three holes in his forehead.

Tanya got up and dashed forward a few yard, before diving back down to the ground as a North Korean machine gunner turned towards her. She unpinned a grenade and tossed it over the outer wall. There was a small explosion and a shriek, a body being tossed over the wall. She cursed when she saw the barbed wire strewn across the ground in front of the castle entrance.

She heard the roar of engines, and saw a Type 10 MBT when she turned around. She sighed with relief when the MBT plowed down the barbed wire and charged through the gates. More Type 10 MBTs rolled up, and the infantry got out of their cover and followed the armor. Tanya quickly reloaded her Type 20 Assault rifle before running after the Type 10 MBT column.

The North Korean soldiers on the outer walls were trapped as the Browning M2HB 50. Cal machine guns from the rear and the 5.56 NATO rounds of the Type 20 Assault rifles from the front shot them down like fish in a barrel. Bodies fell down, slamming to the ground.

"Tanya-san, we're really kicking their asses!" Lasagna shouted. Tanya turned around and scowled at him.

They advanced through the outer area, knocking down several field guns and tanks out as they went. Above them Mitsubishi F-2 jets screamed, firing their JM61A1 rotary cannons and dropping their JDAMs. The North Koreans scrambled backwards, crumbling in the face of the Japanese push.

The Japanese reached the secondary walls, armed with mortars, rockets, machine guns and anti-tank missiles.

The first missile snaked towards the foremost Type 10 MBT, slamming into its turret ring. The turret imploded, throwing bits and pieces of ceramic composite and steel armor into the air. A North Korean soldier had used a Chinese HJ-10 anti-tank/helicopter missile launcher.

"Take that thing out!" A soldier shouted. Somebody gunned the soldier down with a Type 23 carbine. North Koreans began raking the ground with machine gun fire, forcing the Japanese soldiers to get down on their stomachs. Blood spattered across the dirt, with bodies piling on top of each other.

…...

"They won't fucking give up, those bastards," Tanya gritted. Her Type 20 Assault rifle _cracked_ as she fired up at the walls, taking down a North Korean soldier.

Nishi slid down next to her. "Gosh, this keeps on getting crazier," She muttered. She chucked a grenade over the wall, and dust and smoke puffed up as it exploded.

"How the hell are we supposed to advance?" Naoki moaned in annoyance.

Hiroi grinned next to her. "Aw, don't worry kid. This isn't so bad, is it?" He shoved a magazine into his Type 20 Assault rifle. He fired up the wall, killing a North Korean soldier. He jerked his head downwards as bullets landed right next to him. "What is the air force dawdling for?" He chuckled.

Naoki gave him a worried stare. "Sir, are you alright?" He asked.

Hiroi shrugged. "Who knows," He answered.

A Type 10 MBT rolled up to the little ditch Hiroi and Naoki were laying. The hatch opened and a younger man came out.

"Hey, kid!" Hiroi shouted.

The man turned towards Hiroi. "Yes, sir?" He replied.

Hiroi pointed above, where there were several HMGs and missile launchers. "Take them out will you. They are really bothering me," He ordered.

The man saluted. "Right on it, sir," He dropped back down into the turret, and it turned several degrees up. It fired once, dust flying as the kickback pushed the barrel back.

The wall exploded, throwing machine guns and personnel over the wall. Hiroi aimed through his sights and placed the red dot over the forehead of a North Korean soldier. His rifle jerked slightly up, and the man dropped like a flea. Hiroi smiled. He turned his sights to other defenders. He fired again, this time taking down three more North Koreans.

He tensed as an explosion showered dirt over him. "Damn, I guess their mortars are really stepping it up," He mumbled. "Come on, you damn air force." He grinned as several helicopters descended from the heavens. Zigzagging across the sky to avoid anti-air missiles, they fired their rotary cannons and missiles at the North Koreans. A storm of death and destruction blanketed over the North Koreans. A symphony of screams and explosions drowned out all other noises, and clouds of dust and dirt blotted out Hiroi's vision.

The bombardment lasted for around fifteen minutes. The ground cleared up, and around forty North Koreans lay dead. Many died at their posts, bullets turning their bodies into bee hives. More soldiers lay on their backs, attempting to run. Blood was pouring out from them, and their stomachs were ripped open, their intestines spilling over.

"Holy shit," Hiroi said with a dropped jaw. He quickly composed himself. "Alright men, advance!" He shouted. The Japanese stood up and launched another assault. The North Koreans, stunned by the bombardment were unable to hold back the tide. They were cut down by the dozens as the Japanese surged forward. Blazing with assault and machine guns, the Japanese were like a tsunami; they were unstoppable. Even the inner ramparts that the North Koreans manned were useless against the breakthrough. Type 10 MBTs broke the ramparts, forcing the walls to crash down while the North Koreans were still on them.

They entered the field just in front of the castle itself. Machine guns _popped_ and Rockets _shoomed_ out from the castle.

"Holy shit, this is just like COD: WAW!" Hiroi exclaimed. He raised his Type 20 and fired off a burst of rifle fire against the entrenched enemies. He covered his face when a Type 10 MBT exploded, a rocket impacting with the turret. He jumped into a North Korean trench, with a few bewildered North Koreans still at their posts.

"Sir, their left flank is crumbling," A soldier shouted.

Hiroi nodded. "Great. We'll push there," He said.

…..

Three red flares shot up in the sky, the red smoke trailing behind the shining bright light. Tanya raised her head as the flares fell back to the Earth. She unloaded her magazine, and threw the empty box away as she inserted a new one. She got up from the trench and ran across the body strewn, barbed wire laden, crater filled front lawn. North Koreans popped out from little spider holes before jumping back into their little hiding spots. Tanya and the others dropped grenades in them, and kept the hatches closed to keep the North Koreans from escaping. Each time, they would pull the pin, slightly open the hatch, drop the grenade, slam it shut, and after a little _Bumpf_ and a little shaking, there was complete silence.

They charged up the stairs of the castle itself, killing North Koreans as they ascended. Blood ran down the stairwell and bodies tumbled down to the ground. Tanya bashed her rifle against the face of a North Korean soldier. He staggered back, his hands over his face and screaming in pain. She hits him again, and he falls down to the floor.

Lasagna, Nishi, Earl Grey, Naoki and the others stormed up the stairs as well.

"The door is blocked," Naoki shouted.

"God damn it," Tanya muttered.

"Blow the damn door off!" Hiroi ordered. Earl Grey aimed her grenade launcher at it. She fired, and the door blew off the hinges. They ran into the empty room, guns pointed at every corner.

"Room clear!" Naoki shouted, and the soldiers fanned out throughout the castle.

Earl Grey and Naoki ran up the narrow stairway, flanked by a squad of soldiers. Tracers erupted from top of the stairwell, showering the Japanese with a hail of bullets. Earl Grey and Naoki dove down on the stairs.

"Shit! The hell are we supposed to do?" Naoki shouted.

Earl Grey winked at him. "Don't worry about it," She raised her grenade launchers a few inches up, and fired. The grenade screamed as it arched across the stairs. It landed behind the overturned tables and the riflemen behind them. The grenade exploded, throwing the defenders down the stairs. Naoki and Earl Grey had to move out of the way as the bodies tumbled down. Earl Grey patted Naoki on the back. Naoki smiled faintly as they got back up.

"Fuck!" Azumi cursed as they ran through the maze of corridors. "Where the hell are we?"

"Shut up!" Rumi shouted. "Just keep shooting."

"Are we lost?" Megumi cried. "What do we do?"

Rumi reloaded her Type 20. "We keep on moving. Azumi, hand me a grenade." She ordered. Azumi handed her one. Rumi pulled the pin and rolled it across the hallway. It stopped by the corner, where it detonated. There were several screams, before silence.

…..

Rifles _cracked_ with life as both sides tried to keep the other from advancing. Pieces of wood were chipped away as bullets ripped through posts and walls. Azumi gripped her rifle tightly. She peered over the wall. She jerked her head back to safety as a flurry of bullets flew her way. She aimed her gun over the wall and fired towards the gunfire. Clouds of dust swirled as the bullets discharged. The body of a North Korean fell down as he was hit right in the heart, blood splattering like paint against the wall behind him.

"Let's go!" Rumi shouted, and dashed out of cover. Azumi shrugged and followed, with Megumi whimpering from behind. They ran through the bullet riddled the passageway. They jumped over bodies that blocked the corridor. Rumi fired off her Type 20 Assault rifle as the ran forwards, the barrel turning burning hot.

They ducked behind the corner of another hallway. The dark hall was illuminated by red and orange gunfire. As the lights flashed about, one could see the murals of blood that was painted on the walls and the silhouettes of soldiers killing each other. Gruesome images of soldiers being shot to ribbons flashed across the corridor. Bullets ricocheted around, hitting nearly every inch of wall, floor and ceiling. Then there was a great flash, and a loud _bang_ echoed across the entire hall. Everybody stopped firing momentarily, covering their eyes.

Hiroi was among them. When the flashbang exploded he had also covered his eyes. _Damn, where did that come from?_ He thought. His vision went back to normal, and was engulfed with darkness. "Damn it, how many are there," He muttered. He unpinned a grenade and flung it across the dark hallway. There was a loud _Boom,_ and he imagined a few North Koreans had their bodies torn into pieces.

"I'm going out!" Hiroi began crawling out into the hallway.

"Sir?" Another soldier said in confusion, but Hiroi had already began advancing through the darkness. The soldiers shrugged and followed their commander.

They creeped on their bellies across the floor, under the whizzing lines of lights. Hiroi grinned as he closed in on the North Koreans, who had failed to notice them slipping ever so closer.

Hiroi was right at the feet of a North Korean soldier. He slowly raised his rifle up at the chest of the soldier, and fired. For a second he saw the chest of the soldier being lit up by the bright discharge; the entire chest turned red and the entire soldier was thrown back. Hiroi got up and turned to his right and gunned the rest of the North Koreans down, each shot being a yellow tracer hitting its target.

…...

Lasagna and Nishi was kneeling behind a stack of iron blocks. Their enemies were stationed just a few meters away, taking cover behind some old steel crates.

Nishi aimed her Type 23 Carbine forwards and squeezed the trigger. The head of one North Koreans exploded in a mist of blood, skull and brain matter. "Got'em!" she exclaimed.

Lasagna groaned. He leaned against the pipes. "Take it down a notch, will you," He said.

Nishi yelped and ducked her head down when the North Koreans fired back. More soldiers ran into the room, and took cover behind various objects. A North Korean soldier shot down a Japanese soldier, shooting him in the chest. Nishi got back up to fire, but when she pressed the trigger, no bullet came out. "Gah, out of ammo!" She cursed. She immediately reloaded and got back up again.

Lasagna leaned out from behind the pipes and fired off a couple of shots. Two North Koreans fell down, torsos riddled with bloody holes. His eyes widened as a huge iron pipe began falling down towards him. Time seemed to slow as the plank aimed for his head; he jumped out of the way as the it clattered right where he had sat. However, now he was right out in the open. Half a dozen North Korean guns pointed at him. Lasagna scrambled back to his cover as they opened up.

Several grenades flew over the room, landing near the North Korean troops. The entire room was blanketed with dust as the several explosions ripped the entire room apart. Groans and screams of pain reverberated throughout the room. Nishi and Lasagna ducked down as the only thing they heard was a loud roar.

The dust settled, and the two looked over. The entire room was cleared, with ripped up bodies bent over cover and lying across the floor.

"Holy shit," Lasagna muttered.

Nishi laughed. "Oh my god! Why didn't we do that in the first place?"

Lasagna reloaded his rifle. "Ugh, time to move on," He said.

….

Tanya fired her Type 20 in the courtyard, where the North Koreans set up several defensive positions, with several machine guns and even a mortar. Mortar rounds plunged into the ground, throwing dirt and soldiers into the air. Tanya pulled her helmet down as bullets zipped past her. With a grunt, she knelt down and honed on to a machine gun position. With a few squeezes of the trigger, the machine gunner dropped to the ground. She jumped over the railings and landed on the ground with a _thud._ She did a combat roll, and when she was upright she shot a North Korean soldier aiming at her. She stood up and ran to a piece of cover, a fallen piece of the castle roof. Tiles _clatter_ off when bullets hit them. She adjusted her glasses. _Damn, I really need to get new glasses,_ She thought to herself.

A grenade presented itself as it rolled next to Tanya. In a flash she grabbed the explosive and lobbed it across the courtyard. Miraculously it landed by the mortar position. The Mortar rounds stopped after the grenade exploded, killing the men crewing it.

Japanese troops poured into the courtyard, pushing the North Koreans deeper into a corner. The North Koreans didn't surrender, however, and continued their resistance. More and more Japanese troops fell as they tried to put the North Koreans down.

Tanya rested her head against the sight of the rifle, taking aim against a burly North Korean soldier. The man turned towards Tanya, attempting to shoot her before she does. He failed, and a bullet cut through his skull.

A huge shadow covered the entire courtyard. Tanya glanced up, and saw a helicopter descend upon the North Koreans. The gatling gun _whirred_ as it spat thousands of bullets at the frightened enemies. They were shredded into pieces, with bone and flesh being torn away from the body. The amount of blood that came gushing out was like an ocean of paint, seeping to every corner of the entire courtyard. Bodies piled on top of each other, eventually creating a wall of corpses by the edge of the courtyard. Rockets also launched themselves at the enemy, turning human beings into clumps of skin and muscle.

Tanya watched as the helicopter cleaned up the courtyard. In fifteen minutes, not a single soul was alive down there. The helicopter, churning up dust clouds up into the sky. Tanya coughed and wheezed as dust entered her nose. "Shit," She said to herself.

"Are you alright?" Tanya turned and saw Lasagna and Nishi standing there, looking at her.

"She was never alright," Earl Grey's voice made her turn to her left, with Earl Grey herself grinning and Naoki smiling behind her.

"Aw, don't say that to the commander! She shouldn't know the truth!" Rumi, Azumi and Megumi jumped in from behind, pushing Tanya forwards.

"What the hell?" Tanya exclaimed.

"Shut it, you're all part of the loony squad," Hiroi's authoritative voice boomed out. "You guys get to rest a while, while the cleanup crew is sweeping the outer walls and gift shops. So sit down a bit." He informed them. The _popping_ of rifles and _booms_ of explosions still echoed through the afternoon air.

 **One and a half hours later**

The Emperor's regiment and Hiroi met up with the Kuromorimine and Blue Division Senshadou teams at the Naha Shiritsu Yasuoka Junior High School. Erika climbed out of their Panzers and ran over to Hiroi, while Francesca struggled to get out of her AMX-31 E. Kaito hid behind a Type 10 MBT.

"Good afternoon, girls! I hope you have been enjoying your final day in Okinawa!" Hiroi heartily shouted.

Erika smiled. "I have, but last minute tourist attractions can be bit of a nuisance," She added.

Hiroi grinned. "Good, your spirits are up,"

"Listen up all of you. The enemy has set up their final, I repeat, _Final_ defensive line by the port. We took the airfield around forty minutes ago, so no more flying out wounded and supplies for them. They're holding route 58, which runs right in front of the port. I don't doubt they are evacuating their wounded and armor, so we'll most likely see only infantry. We heavily outnumber them, and both sides know it. This is it-" He inhaled deeply, "-the battle will be over when we retake the port." He said. "Good luck. Do not die on me last minute." He finished. Everyone raised their fists and cheered.

As Erika was walking back to her Panzer XII Tanya's voice called out to her. Erika turned around and saw Tanya walking towards her.

"Hey, you excited?" Tanya asked with a curved smile.

Erika nodded. "We'll be going home after this," She replied.

"I wonder if the military will give us medals," Tanya wondered.

Erika shrugged. "Who knows. I don't care, to be honest," She replied truthfully.

Tanya lightly turned her head. "I do want to have our actions recognized. I want our dead friends, our dead comrades to be acknowledged," She said softly.

Erika's eyes widened as she remembered Koume. "Yeah, you're right," She murmured.

"Come on ladies, stop chatting and get your damn panzers ready," Hiroi came up from behind, grabbing both of their waists. Erika yelped and jumped forwards, her hands automatically shifting to her butt. Tanya turned backwards and glared at Hiroi with a growl, who backed off with a toothy grin.

Erika climbed up into her Panzer XII, glancing occasionally at Hiroi, face still burning red. "Ladies, Panzer vor!" She ordered with a quivering voice.

"Okay, commander," Kanagawa cheerfully replied.

The Panzers began to advance, towards route 58. As they got closer, they heard the gunfire and occasional explosions grow louder. Erika noticed that the noises of combat had decreased significantly than before. _Maybe the North Koreans are finally realizing their hopeless position,_ she thought.

They entered route 58, the North Koreans on the other side of the road. They fired at the caravan of Panzers, most of the bullets not even hitting the armor. They fell wide, flying into the air or hit the ground behind them.

Erika thought for a minute. _They're not even attacking for the most part,_ She looked down into the tank, and saw Kanagawa take out a microphone. Why she had one, Erika had no clue. Kanagawa smiled up and winked at her. Erika smiled back and nodded. She took the microphone and stood straight up and placed the microphone up to her lips.

"Listen up!" She shouted, the voice echoing throughout the entire route; both sides stopped fighting in bewilderment. "This is to all members of the Korean People's Army Ground Forces! Surrender yourselves. You are hopelessly outnumbered and outmatched. To prolong the fight will only result in your deaths!" She shouted, "Please! You have no reason to continue to resist. How many friends did you lose in the last month? And for what? A failed attempt to take a small island?" Her voice was now filled with emotions by this point. "Nobody wants to kill each other anymore. We have no reason to continue fighting! If you want to see your families, please don't throw away your lives in a useless struggle!"

There was silence, as if the North Koreans were considering her words; even if they did not know a word of Japanese, they understood clearly what her message was.

At first, single soldiers trickled over to the Japanese lines with their hands up, but eventually entire companies were pouring over the road. Erika slumped down on the turret, exhausted.

"Good job, vice-commander," Kanagawa told her.

"It's nothing," Erika waved her hand.

"You just convinced a god knows how many North Koreans to surrender," Kanagawa explained. "Do you know how hard that is? They're goddamn fanatics!"

….

Fighting still continued beyond Route 58, right in the port. Hiroi carried a Type 22 SAW over his back, setting it up a position right behind a street corner. He began suppressing North Koreans across the block for the squad of Japanese infantry that ran across the debris-filled street. The North Koreans ducked down behind chunks of concrete as bullets chipped their cover away.

…...

Tanya took cover behind a large container in the port. She frowned as she leaned out in the open and fired at the North Koreans a few meters away. She flinched as bullets ricocheted off the metal container. She took a couple of steps back, into the safety of cover. The North Korean soldier scurried to a closer piece of cover, still keeping his eye on Tanya. Tanya grumbled as she took out a grenade and threw it to the container just across from her.

She saw the grenade explode, with a cloud of smoke rising over the container. Tanya looked over again, relieved.

Then she heard the _clanging_ of bullets against metal. She quickly turns around, and was horrified to see the North Korean aiming his rifle right at her. She quickly jumped out of the way as he fired again, a flurry of bullets flying towards Tanya. She ran behind the side of the container. She glanced over her shoulder and aimed at the North Korean. However, when she pulled the trigger, no bullet came out and no kickback occured. She realized that she was out of ammo. She shoved her hand into her ammo pouch and froze when her fingers found nothing but empty air. She leaned against the container with sweat pouring down her face. She took out her sidearm, a Minebea 2019 9mm pistol. She twirled out of her cover and with two shots, shot the North Korean right in the head. He fell down to the ground, blood spurting behind him. Tanya sighed as she ran past the corpse.

She nearly lost her head when the stock of a rifle came flying towards her. She ducked and the rifle bounced harmlessly against the metal container. A North Korean soldier reared his rifle again for another strike. Tanya slammed the grip of her pistol against his jaw. The man stumbled back, hand on his jaw. He steadied himself and charged Tanya. He swung his rifle, and it made contact with Tanya's helmet. The helmet vibrated violently and jarred her so much she couldn't see where the man was.

The man lunged again, this time aiming for Tanya's face. Tanya's eyes grew wide as the rifle grew closer. She tried to move, but found her body frozen in place.

The rifle didn't meet its target. The arm that held the rifle was sliced clean off, a single bloody line cut through the elbow. Both Tanya and the man looked down in surprise as a young soldier jumps down next to the North Korean soldier, guntō in his right hand. He swung up, slicing into the man's throat. The man buckled down to the floor.

Kaito flicked his guntō, splattering the blood on his sword onto the ground. He looked at Tanya with a wide grin. "Hey," He said.

Tanya got up, glaring at him intensely. "When this is over, you are going to get it," She growled, before running off. Kaito shrugged it off before running off himself.

…..

Nishi and Lasagna ran through the port, shooting North Korean troops down. They reached the harbor, where the bright, blue water crashed against the concrete walls.

"Shit, look at that!" Nishi pointed off in the distance.

Lasagna looked up and saw a large warship just off the coast. "Is it the navy? They finally arrived to pick up the trash," He muttered. He noticed another ship, steaming away from Okinawa. "Are those the damn North Koreans trying to escape? Damn it navy, blow them up!" He shouted.

…..

The ship was bustling with activity; the decks were filled with wounded, begging for aid. Doctors and medics ran through the ship with what little supplies they had. Cries of pain resonated throughout the entire ship. One could not walk in a corridor without tripping over a leg, or slip on a bloody bandage. Red blood decorated the floors as if it was painted at the factories.

One girl, her forehead wrapped in bandages and on crutches, stared at the slowly shrinking harbor, the din of combat diminishing.

"Ugh." Mi-jing groaned, "That didn't end so well, did it?" She looked back at the mummy sitting in a wheelchair behind her, only her eyes visible. Maeng grunted in response, unable to talk.

Mi-jing signed. "God, that was horrible," She said. "I can't believe I let her escape." Maeng emitted a small noise of confusion.

"That Nishizumi girl," Mi-jing muttered under gritted teeth. "I let her go. If I had one more chance…" Maeng let out a croak of protest.

Mi-jing waved her hand. "I know, I know. You almost died. I almost died too, you know," She could hear Maeng grumble behind her. She turned around, and saw Maeng glaring at her. "Wow, sorry." She quickly apologized. Maeng just rolled her eyes.

Mi-jing rummaged through her pocket, and took out a Boko doll dressed in a beige IJA uniform and had bandages wrapped around its head and arm, with a bullet hole in its temple. She began tossing the doll up in the air. Maeng pushed herself right up next to Mi-jing and looked at the Boko doll.

"This?" Mi-jing waved her doll around. "I found this in some rubble." Maeng looked at her quizzically.

Mi-jing nodded. "I don't know why I took this. I just get a nostalgic feeling from this," She said, a small smile forming on her.

They heard several cries from the crew and evacuees, and they craned their necks out to sea. Mi-jing gasped and Maeng's eyes bulged out. In the distance there was a single warship, slowly inching towards them.

"Shit, it's an enemy destroyer!" Mi-jing shouted. A feeble smile formed on her lips as she stared at Boko. "I guess we're not going to live after all." She said somberly.

…..

Hiroi walked onto the pier, looking at the white ship sailing away. The fighting in the port had stopped; the last remaining soldier had been killed or surrendered. He glanced at the destroyer bobbing in the water. He got out his radio, which had begun buzzing with activity.

" _This is Captain Misaki Akeno of the Harekaze. We are here to assist you in your cleanup operation._ " A young, cheerful female voice said through the radio.

Hiroi grinned. "Hello, little one. This is Lieutenant Colonel Hiroi. Sorry to say, but you're late to the party," He replied.

" _Well, we had a few accidents on the way,_ " Akeno laughed.

Hiroi chuckled as well. "Accidents happen. Anyways, it's strange that a young girl like you is commanding an entire destroyer-" He stopped as he thought it over. "-Okay, I can't say anything. We have highschool girls operating tanks over here."

" _I am a highschooler too!_ " Akeno pouted.

Hiroi shrugged. "Doesn't sound like it," He retorted. "Anyways, if you want to contribute, blow that North Korean ship out of the water." He ordered.

There was a brief silence.

" _That isn't a warship,_ " Akeno said softly.

Hiroi signed. "It's an vessel carrying enemy soldiers. They will be used to combat our soldiers, or our allies later," He told her.

" _But I can see wounded on the decks,_ " Akeno protested.

Hiroi touched his temple in annoyance. "Look, I know. But this is war. They would not hesitate in sinking one of our hospital ships. They are valuable to the enemy war effort. We must destroy them at every opportunity," He said mercilessly. He could imagine little Akeno panicking, and almost felt bad for her.

" _I'm sorry, but I can't. I can't attack a defenseless vessel. And we all are a family on the sea, whether they are our friends or enemies. Sinking a helpless ship will make the oceans sad,"_ Akeno said in a sad, yet defiant voice.

Hiroi was speechless. Then a small chuckle escaped from him. This turned into a hearty laugh.

" _Sir?_ " Akeno asked in confusion.

Hiroi wiped the tears away from his eyes. "I'm sorry, I did not expect that. You seafarers do have a strict code of conduct that we landlubbers lack. I respect you, Captain Akeno, for sticking to what you believe in," He said, but turned serious. "But remember, this will only result in more of our men dying." He said in a grim tone.

….

Mi-jing gaped as the destroyer turned around. "Are, are they stupid or something?" She shouted. Maeng punched her in the side as hard as she could.

Mi-jing stared at her. "I mean, really. Who would let a defenseless ship go? I mean, seriously." She said. Maeng growled at her. "Okay jeez, I get it." She mumbled.

…..

Erika and the other girls stood at the harbor, milling around.

"Wait, so the battle's over?" One girl asked.

"We're done?" Another girl questioned. More girls and soldiers began to chatter, questioning themselves of what had happened.

"Is, is it over?"

"We won?"

"No more fighting?"

The questioning quickly turned to realization that they had indeed achieved success. Girls began crying from happiness, unable to contain their emotions.

"We did it, we won!" One girl shouted.

"The fighting is over!" Another wailed.

Two girls collapsed to the ground, hugging each other. "We're going home! We're going home!" They bawled. Tears streamed down their cheeks. "No more fighting! We don't have to kill anymore people!"

Erika wiped a tear from her eye as she watched everybody letting their emotions out. A heavy weight fell on her back, and heard Kanagawa's joyful voice entering her ear.

"We did it, vice-commander!" She shouted.

Erika turned around and hugged her. "Yeah, we did," She replied.

"Señora!" Erika turned to see Francisca run at full speed towards her. She jumped into the air and landed on Erika, who fell down flat on her back. "Señora, we did it! We beat them!" She laughed, and Erika began to laugh as well. "We'll be going home!"

…..

The Emperor's regiment was also celebrating their victory. "Hooray! We won!" Nishi shouted, jumping onto Lasagna's back.

"What the hell?" He screamed, before falling on his face. He got back up, hand on face. "You are-" He mumbled but was interrupted when Nishi hugged him. Initially surprised, Lasagna rolled his eyes and embraced her back.

….

The Bermuda trio was entangling themselves in a group hug.

"We did it! We won!" Azumi exclaimed happily.

Rumi smiled. "Good job, girls. We fought long and hard, and we did it." She said.

"We're going home! We're going to see Alice again!" Megumi sobbed loudly.

Azumi grinned. "When we get home we'll definitely get commander Alice and commander Kaito together," She whispered.

Rumi chuckled. "Yes, that is something we have to do,"

…..

Earl Grey was drinking tea as she sat on a wooden crate, watching everybody celebrate. She noticed Naoki standing silently by himself. She stood up and walked over to him. "Are you thinking of Koume?" She asked. Naoki turned his head. There was a twinge of sadness in his eyes.

Earl Grey took a step back. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-" She tried to backtrack but was interrupted by a wave of a hand.

"It's alright." Naoki said, turning away. "I was just thinking if she was here with us…" He said softly. "I think she would be happy knowing we're all safe." He uttered. He didn't protest when Earl Grey embraced him.

….

Kaito sat alone, cleaning and sharpening his guntō. He heard the swift footsteps nearing towards him, and looked up to see Tanya towering over him. "Oh hey-" Kaito stood up, but fell backwards when he felt the hand strike his left cheek. "What the hell?" He demanded.

Tanya reared her back again and slapped him in the right cheek. "Don't you dare disobey me again!" She shouted, tears brimming at the edge of her eyes. "How could you?"

"I'm sorry." Kaito stammered, "I won't do it again."

Tanya bent down and squeezed him tightly. "Please don't do it again," She whispered. "Promise?"

Kaito nodded furiously. "Yeah, I'm sorry." He pulled her in tighter as he wrapped his arm around her back.

…...

A soldier walked up to the Erika, Francisca and Kanagawa. He cleared his throat, and the three girls looked up. The soldier was clearly uncomfortable. "Is the younger sister of Kanagawa Taizou here?" He asked.

Kanagawa stood up. "Kanagawa Eri, reporting for duty. Is something wrong?" She asked.

"Well, um…" The soldier began to look for the right words. At last he sighed loudly. "Your brother has been MIA since June 6th, and after searching for over a month we believe he has been killed on the first day of combat." He reported.

Kanagawa crumpled to the floor, her face completely white. "I..I…" She tried to formulate words, but tears began streaming down her face. "No, no, no, no!" She sobbed. The soldier and Erika knelt down next to her. Kanagawa dug her face into Erika, as she sat there with a crestfallen look on her.

 **The battle of Okinawa lasted from June 6th to July 18th, 2024. It was the debut action of the JSDF and was a resounding success. The Japanese deployed more than 200,000 troops, and suffered around 30,000 KIA, 70,000 WIA and 4,200 MIA. The North Koreans deployed around 150,000 Troops, and lost 136,000 men, with upto 50-130,000 soldiers dead and wounded, with 6,000 troops also falling prisoner. The North Korean army was severely drained, with the elite 8th Division completely destroyed.**

 **80,000 Civilians were also killed in the course of the battle, with more than 100,000 wounded, 4,000 captured and 300,000 displaced. The battle in total cost around 450,000 casualties, with at least 160-230,000 killed. Kuromorimine suffered 69 killed and 421 wounded. Blue Division suffered 25 killed and 117 wounded. The Emperor's Regiment lost 274 Killed and 900 wounded, around 40% of their strength.**

 **6,000 tanks also took part in the battle, with 40,000 other vehicles, 11,000 helis and 1,500 planes. Kuromorimine and Blue Division fielded 10% of the tanks during the course of battle. Kuromorimine had lost 72 Panzers, while Blue Division lost 17 tanks. The entire JSDF lost 600 tanks, 5,000 vehicles, 1,900 helis and 100 planes. The North Koreans lost 1,800 tanks, 9,000 vehicles, 430 planes and 3,100 helis.**

 **The battle affected the entire island as a whole; almost 90% of the country was occupied by the North Koreans. An upward of 45% of the urban and city areas were destroyed. 64 temples and shrines were looted by the North Koreans or destroyed in the battle.**

* * *

 **Hello, it has been a while. I am alive and well, and will resume writing this story(and hopefully the chapters will be much shorter).**

 **Remember Kanagawa Taizou(If you didn't, it's alright. I forgot he existed too)? He was a throwaway character I made for the initial North Korean landings in Okinawa in chapter three. He was killed when he was crushed by Mi-jing's Pokpung-Ho V tank(Ouch!) and was supposed to be never mentioned again. But I accidentally recycled his last name for one of the crewmembers of Erika's Panzer XII(This being Kanagawa the gunner). So I decided they were going to be siblings and now hopefully Kanagawa will actually become an actual part of the story.**

 **I have a second story(hooray!) It is called Blood vs Iron, and it is about the various schools(along with several ones I made up) fighting in a war across Japan. Check it out, cause if you like this you will probably enjoy that story too. Well then, adios amigos!**


	24. Confessions

**Chapter Twenty Three: Confessions**

 **Around 8:30 P.M. Some bar in Naha**

"Everyone!" Arai's voice boomed throughout the small bar, which was crammed with men and girls. She was standing on top of the counter, several beers in her hands. "Tonight you will eat and drink until you puke it all out! Then you will repeat this procedure until morning! This is an order!" She shouted, and the whole room burst into loud cheering and hooting. She looked down and saw the pale faces of the bartender and staff. She slipped her fingers into her pocket and took out a golden card. She waved it in front of the old men. "You won't have to work a single day after tonight." She whispered, grinning wildly. The old men looked at each other, and scurried away to their positions.

"Kampai!" Several large beer mugs _clanged_ against each other. Maho furrowed her brow after taking several long gulps of beer. "Phew, this is some good stuff." She said.

Arai nodded. "Yup, this is one of the best places for a drink. And don't worry if you are underage. We're in the army, so we're all adults here," She said. Maho looked around the room. Her friends from Kuromorimine and Blue Division were drinking and talking merrily with the male army troops.

"You know I can drink more than anyone here! I know, I'm Italian!" Lasagna shouted.

Nishi stood up. "Shut up! You're a stupid Plebian!" She exclaimed as she grabbed a sake bottle. "I've got the strongest liver out of all of you."

Lasagna stood up as well, setting down several shot glasses on the table. "You're on!" He hissed. Soldiers began crowding the two as they began pouring sake into the glasses.

Once they were done, Lasagna bowed in an exaggerated manner. "Ladies first," He said sarcastically.

Nishi grunted and swiped the shot glass closest to her. With one swift move of her arm, she brought the glass to her mouth, swallowed the sake, and slammed the tiny glass on the table. "Your turn," She jeered.

Lasagna glared at her with anger. "Fine!" He grabbed a shot glass and downed it in one second. He smirked at Nishi. "Come on," Another shot glass was empty as she threw it down.

The crowd hollered as the two drank dozens, if not hundreds of shot glasses. Sake, Gin, Vodka and Vermouth was consumed in this ungodly contest. By the end of the third Whisky bottle both were stumbling around.

"C-c-c'mon!" Hiroi slurred. "That's th-the best you can do?" He asked.

Nishi stood straight up. "Look at you, you-you're a mess!" She loudly shouted, "I am the master!" She proclaimed.

"No way! One more-" Lasagna protested as he grabbed for another bottle. He found one and tried to pour the contents out into the shot glass, but nothing came out. "Huh?" He looked into the bottle, and found it completely empty. Lasagna turned around and saw Tanya alone, drinking a Vodka bottle with a pile of empty bottles behind her. "How many?" Lasagna demanded, his drunkenness currently supplanted by his curiosity and surprise.

Tanya glanced over her shoulder. "Around 50?" She guessed. Nishi and Lasagna gaped at her while the crowd erupted into an ear splitting cheer.

…..

"What are those barbarians doing now?" Earl Grey asked from across the bar, waving a whiskey in her hand.

"Who knows?" Naoki shrugged his shoulders as he brought a bottle of Schnapps to his lips. "Just them doing their thing."

Earl Grey looked at him, her face slightly red. "You aren't like the others," She said. "You seem normal."

Naoki smiled. "That makes me the unusual one here," He replied.

Earl Grey grabbed his shoulders. "What? Are you saying I'm weird?" She demanded.

Naoki scooted back. "Well, um...You are certainly eccentric in your own way!" He told her quickly. "Say, I thought you only drank tea." He noticed.

Earl Grey let out a little laugh. "Oh, I'll party once in awhile," She said. She took a swig from her Whiskey, and slammed it against the counter. "Hey bartender, more!" She demanded. The bartender sighed as he gave her a bottle of Scotch Whiskey and Bourbon. Earl Grey drained the entire bottle of Whiskey in a minute, with Naoki watching from the side.

"You do like your drinks." He said.

Earl Grey leaned on him. "Don't be silly, you're just fun to drink with!" She giggled, and Naoki blushed.

….

"A toast to the Bermuda Trio!" Azumi yelled at the top of her lungs, and three glasses _clinked_ together.

"A victory that will last throughout the ages!" Megumi exclaimed.

Rumi adjusted her glasses. "And we were a major part of it, no doubt about it," They all leaned back in their chairs. "What now?" She said.

Megumi and Azumi looked at her with a puzzled expression. "What do you mean?" They both asked.

Rumi thought for a minute. "Well, the fighting all over, so does that we'll just go home and that will be it? Or are we going to go fight somewhere else too? I mean, we are now part of a big war after all,"

"You have a point." Azumi said after a while.

"Does that mean we're going to be separated? I don't want that!" Megumi wailed.

"No, we're not. Hopefully," Rumi told her, "The next battlefield is Malaysia."

"I've heard bad stories about that," Azumi added. "The Chinese burn down entire towns down and leave nobody alive."

"They aren't kind to prisoners either," Rumi chipped in.

Megumi looked at them with fearful eyes. "Then what about youthful beauties like us?" She asked in a quivering voice.

Rumi sighed. "They'll have their way with us, no doubt," She replied somewhat somberly.

Megumi cried. "Noo! I don't want that!"

Rumi slapped her. "It's not going to happen to us, idiot! Stop crying!" She shouted.

Megumi grabbed onto Azumi's jacket. "She's hurting me!" She wailed, and Azumi stroked her long black hair.

"Don't worry about a thing." She whispered. "We're just going to go home and be with Commander Alice."

Megumi shot up. "You're right! We're going back to Alice-chan!" She exclaimed. "I wonder if she misses us." She whimpered.

Rumi slapped her on the back. "Of course she does! We are her sempai, after all!" She said hopefully.

Azumi leaned forwards. "Well, technically, she is our superior," She reminded them.

Rumi groaned. "Oh, yeah. I completely forgot with all the fighting and stuff," She sighed. "We're the old ones. Why are we stuck as the subordinates. With Alice-chan and Commander Kaito." She grumbled. "Not that I have a problem with it!" She added seconds later.

Azumi let out a soft groan. "I guess that's how we're going to live," She muttered. They all slumped down and began drinking.

…...

Hiroi strutted towards the edge of the counter, where Arai was silently drinking some Awamori. "Yo." He waved his hand, and Arai looked up at him.

"Oh, it's you." She mumbled.

Hiroi sat down next to her. "Aw, don't say it like that," He cheerfully said.

Arai shook her head. "It's not like that," She said. "I'm just super tired, that's all." She looked around the room, where several people set up a karaoke machine and was now singing loudly while a huge throng of people surrounded them. Men and girls staggered around like zombies, with areas of the floor becoming toxic wastes from puke. "I would like a quiet drink, but I can't even do that." She said.

"Oh, I'm sure it'll be all fine!" Hiroi exclaimed. "We're just blowing off some steam."

Arai grunted as she grabbed a bottle of Rum. "I guess it is fun," She agreed somewhat hesitantly.

Hiroi beamed. "See, there we go! That's the spirit."

…..

Maho put down the bottle of Vodka. "Man, that is good." She said.

Kaito grinned. "It sure is. It's better now that Tanya isn't hounding me," He stated, before looking around. "That saying, where is Tanya?" He asked, not seeing her anywhere.

Erika shrugged. "Does that matter right now?" She had not drunk anything as of yet.

Kaito stared at her. "Why aren't you drinking?" He asked.

Erika looked down, somewhat embarrassed. "There's so many people. I don't want to make a fool out of myself," She whispered.

Kaito sighed. "Okay, fine. Whatever," He groaned. He got up and took Erika's hand.

"What are you doing?" Erika demanded as he pulled her up.

"We'll go somewhere private." Kaito replied.

"What?" Erika was taken aback.

Kaito smiled. "Maho," He said. Maho gave him a duffle bag filled with liquor.

"Commander?" Erika stared at Maho wide-eyed.

Maho winked at her. "You two have fun together," She told them.

Kaito grabbed Erika's waist. "Shall we go then?" He gave her a devilish smile as they proceeded to walk to the back of the bar.

They had to step over puddles of vomit and unconscious human beings. Erika clung to Kaito as they slowly inched to their destination.

"Vice~commander~" Erika turned to her left and saw Kanagawa crash into her. "What are you doing?" Erika shouted at her. Kanagawa gave her a glassy-eyed stare. "Don't hog him for yourself." She slurred as her hand slid across Kaito's chest. "You should share~" She sang. Erika was about to shout something again when Kaito interjected. "Sorry, sweetie, but I'm taken." He told her.

"Aw, really? Can't you spread some joy?" Kanagawa slurred.

"No, no. I can't," Kaito replied, "I'm a bit busy with your commander." Kanagawa stared at him for a minute, before sadly shuffling away.

Kaito looked at Erika. "Shall we continue?" He asked.

They slipped through the crowd and ended up at the back of the bar. There was a small wooden door, and Kaito opened it. "Come on, no one's going to be out here," He beckoned Erika to follow him.

The door led to a large garden, with trimmed bushes lining up by the edge of the stone pathway. They walked under an archway made out of woven leaves and branches and beautiful flower gardens. They continued to follow the cobblestone footpath until all the flowers and shrubbery disappeared, and was replaced by the clear view of the ocean, the moon reflecting off the water like a mirror. She gazed at the dark blue horizon; she could not differentiate between the night sky and the water. Stars sprinkled across the unending atmosphere.

"This is amazing!" Erika shouted.

Kaito smiled. "I know. Let's go there," He pointed, where there was a small bridge that connected to a tiny island, where a gazebo was built.

They ran across the bridge, and they collapsed on top of each other when they reached the gazebo. The bag of liquor rolled across the gazebo floor.

"Um, can you get off?" Kaito asked Erika, who was on top of Kaito, their legs intertwined. Erika tried to get up, but their legs bumped together and she fell back down.

She looked at Kaito, who was blushing furiously. "How do we get out of this?" She cried. Kaito, with his strength, tried to push her off, but they ended up rolling onto Erika's back. Erika looked up at Kaito's brown eyes, and could feel her heart _thumping_ harder and faster. She blushed, and turned her head towards the floor.

"I think I have an idea," Kaito mumbled.

"What?" Erika questioned.

Kaito looked to the side. "I'm so sorry about this," He apologized.

"Eh?" Erika was puzzled by his words. Without warning Kaito slunk down, his head disappearing from Erika's sight. She could feel him weaving down her body. "What are you doing?" She shouted, not comfortable with what he's doing. "Ah, don't touch there!" She exclaimed.

Kaito's head had reached her chest; Kaito closed his eyes as he passed through her cleavage. _Dear God, I hope I don't go to Hell after this,_ he thought. He was oddly comfortable as Erika was getting warmer. He wiggled past and was now on her stomach. Erika moaned as he went down further; he had reached the top of her skirt. "Please close your eyes!" He heard Erika beg. Kaito tightly closed his eyes and mouth as he dove down through her skirt. He felt the material feeling of the skirt end and now was surrounded by the warm skin of Erika's thigh.

By accident Kaito opened his eyes; his vision was dominated by white. Somehow Erika knew, and she reacted swiftly. With a cry of "No!" She jerked her right leg to the side, her knee hitting his chest. He flew to the side and crashed into the wall of the gazebo. Pain shot through Kaito's head and body and for a minute he couldn't breathe.

"Oh my god!" He heard Erika scream and the footsteps that thundered across the gazebo. "I'm so sorry! Are you ok?" She asked with a extremely distraught face.

"I'm fine. I should really apologize to you," Kaito rubbed his head as he got back up. He clasped his hands together. "Please forgive me." He got down on his knees in front of Erika.

Erika looked slightly relieved nodded her head. "It's ok. Really."

They sat on the bench of the gazebo, avoiding eye contact. Both their faces were completely red.

"You know what, you gotta drink this off!" Kaito said, digging out a vodka bottle out of the bag. He popped the cap open and took a swig. He passed it to Erika, who took it tentatively. She took a hard gulp, and started coughing.

Kaito had to stifle a laugh. "Take it easy," He told her. He scooted next to her, and took the bottle. He guided the bottle to her lips, and tipped the mouth of the bottle forwards. He held Erika by the back of her head, who didn't resist his actions. After around thirty seconds she tapped his hand, and he released the bottle from her lips. She exhaled.

Kaito smiled. "How was it?" He questioned.

Erika was silent for a few seconds. "It was good," She answered.

Kaito grinned. "Okay, let's get this party started."

Around thirty minutes later, they had finished two bottles of liquor.

"What's aunt Shiho like? You know her right?" Kaito asked, drinking out of a Gin bottle.

Erika groaned. "She's a tough woman, like you probably know. She pushed us all to become the best Seshadou team,"

"Yet Miho still beat you guys." Kaito jeered.

Erika glared at him. "That was a fluke!" She explained. Kaito shrugged. "You really believe that?" He asked.

Erika looked down. "I, no," She admitted. "I was angry at her for leaving Kuromorimine, you know? I couldn't believe it when she was chosen for the position of vice-commander." She grumbled, "I felt like I was ignored. Everything I did I was wasted." She banged her hand against the wall. "What was I supposed to do?" She cried. "I felt like I wasn't worth anything!"

Kaito scooted next to her. "No, you are worth something. I know it," He said.

Erika sniffled after she took a gulp of Rum. "Even after that match, I felt ignored by my peers,"

"I know that feeling," Kaito said.

Erika looked at him. "Really?"

"Yeah, I've been feeling like that for God knows how long. I never had people who I could call friends," Kaito chugged down the rest of his Gin and took out a Tequila. "I didn't care that much though. I like being alone."

"But you have everyone in the regiment."

"I've only known them for around a year. Before that I was usually stuck in my house with my dad,"

"What about your mom?" Erika asked.

Kaito sighed. "She and my younger brother live in a different place. You could call it a separation if you like. So I really don't have much of a mother figure," He answered. "Well...that's not entirely true."

Erika gave him a puzzled expression. "What do you mean?" She asked.

Kaito laughed a little. "Tanya's always been taking care of me," He replied.

Erika almost dropped her bottle. "What?" she exclaimed.

….

In the bar everything was quiet. Either everybody had passed out or had gone out. Girls and men left in pairs as they wandered across the town. Vomit and spilled liquor stained the floor.

Tanya sat alone at the table, sipping a glass of shochu, not saying a word. The bartender was reading a book by the counter, trying to avoid the mess before his eyes. Tanya glanced at the title of the book. _A romance novel..._ she thought.

"Heyo, Tanya-san!" Lasagna slipped in next to her. Tanya didn't even give him a look.

"Could I ask you a question?" Nishi popped out from nowhere, sitting next to Lasagna.

"It's about the commander," Earl Grey's elegant voice drifted from across the table, where she and Naoki were sitting with glasses of Vodka in their hands.

"What's your relationship with him?" The Bermuda trio plopped themselves down in between Naoki and Nishi.

"How far back do you two go?" Hiroi sat down next to Earl Grey, followed by Arai. "We want to know."

Tanya sighed as she gulped down the glass and poured another glass, this time from from a bottle of Brandy.

"If you don't want to, then it's fine," Maho hobbled over to the table, setting herself down next to Tanya.

"Come on, tell us!" Rumi said.

Arai glared at her. "If she's not comfortable with it, let's not force her," She scolded Rumi.

Tanya shook her head. "No, it's fine. I'll tell you guys. You should hear this,"

She took out several more bottles of liquor. Everyone around the table leaned in as

she took a heavy breath. "Well, it all started seven years ago. It was me, my sister, my dad and mom. My family was always a poor one, we never managed to really have a proper life. And it wasn't even like we were poor because of unfortunate circumstances. My parents were always terrible at managing money, and always spent on extravagant things like dresses and TVs. That's why our house was filled with extremely expensive stuff, but we were always badly off financially. My sister and I were always forced to do hard work for little pay. And what little pay we scrounged up were taken by our parents.

That lasted until I was around 15. It was then when our parents abandoned us. They left the house and took all the money with them. Luckily, my sister was taken by a good friend of hers, and they both go to Pravda right now. But I didn't have friends, because I didn't go to school. I was left on the streets, forced to wander around begging for food.

Now, most of my jobs were of that of serving and helping people. I was good at it, so there were rumors of me floating around. Eventually I was found by Kaito-sama's, and-" She looked over at Maho. "Maho's dad, Nishizumi Kijiro. He needed help with raising his oldest son, who is Kaito-sama, as his wife and younger son were not with him. He hired me to basically become his maid." She swallowed a whole bottle of Rum.

"I remember the first day at the job. The Nishizumi mansion was enormous. There were four floors, with a sprawling basement with pool tables, TVs and a large ping pong table. I myself had a room all to myself that was probably bigger than my old house. I was to be living next to Kaito-sama's room for convenience's sake. I thought the old man was nice, but I was wrong.

He was sweet at first, but after ten minutes showing me around the house, his temper changed. He became cold and commanding, ordering me to do stuff even before he brought Kaito-sama down. Eventually though, he went upstairs to bring Kaito-sama down.

When I first met Kaito-sama, he was just like his father. He was younger than me by three years, but he was still cold towards me, or just plain ignored me. He would sometimes tell me he hated me. He would even hit me at times," Tanya touched her cheeks as if remembering those times.

"That bastard!" Nishi slammed her fist against the table, forcing all the glasses to shake.

Lasagna held her hand up. "Jeez, what is with you?" He demanded.

Arai waved her hand. "Carry on,"

Tanya nodded. "Even though he treated me badly, every night I would swear to myself that I would make him accept me. And I worked really hard to achieve that. I had to listen to all of his commands and whims, I would listen to all his complaints. I would become his shoulder to lean on. When he would wake up from a nightmare, I would always be there for him," She smiled faintly, "It took almost a year, but I did it. He slowly warmed up to me. He would ask me to come and play games with him, he would come over to my room at night, and we would tell each other stories until we fell asleep. We would even sometimes-" Tanya blushed, "-even takes bath together."

Everyone collectively spat their drinks out.

"What?" Lasagna shouted.

Nishi looked at her with an amused expression. "Aren't you the one that's into younger ones, not the commander?" She asked with a sly smile.

"I knew it! I knew it! Our Tanya is a man killer!" Rumi laughed.

Tanya shook her head. "No, no!" She cried, her hands over her face. "It was nothing romantic! We were kids! Honest!"

Hiroi smirked. "Are you sure about that? Maybe you two-" Arai smacked him over the head with a karate chop.

Tanya calmed down. "But it was two years ago when we really connected. It was when Kaito-sama's dad came back from his mahjong outings. He goes out a lot, leaving Kaito-sama and I alone together. This time, he was already drunk when he came home. When he entered the house, he came towards me. He grabbed me and tossed me to the couch," She whimpered. "I was already scared of that man. He was big and burly, and was really strong. When he was about to do God knows what, Kaito-sama came in and saved me."

"Like a prince saving a princess?" Nishi cooed.

Tanya blushed again. "Well, sort of. He hit his own dad right in the face. Then he said something I would never forget; he said 'Don't you dare touch her!'. The old man didn't take that well, obviously. He beat Kaito-sama with a fury I didn't know he had.

That beating lasted over thirty minutes. Kaito-sama got a black eye and bruises all over his body. After the beating he came over to me. I was forced to watch the whole ordeal. Even after he was beaten, even after he got physically hurt-" Tanya stopped, tears forming at the edge of her eyes. "-he asked me if I was alright. He didn't care for himself at all. At the end we cried together in my room.

We grew more close after that. We would visit libraries and shops together. He would buy me clothes and other stuff," She said sweetly, "He turned into the nicest boy I ever met. "We would also play sports together. We would play tennis often, most likely because Kaito-sama liked what I would wear when we played." She said, chuckling.

Lasagna grinned. "That kid was always a pervert, wasn't he?"

Tanya nodded. "Yeah, he was,"

Tanya continued. "We would also throw a frisbee out in the front lawn. One day, around three years ago, Kaito-sama accidentally threw the black disc too high. I went to go get it, and ran into the driveway. I got in front of the old man's car, who was coming back from work,"

"You got hit by the car?" Megumi shouted.

Tanya nodded. "That was the only time I saw the old man panic. I saw him and kaito-sama run up to me with a horrified face before I blacked out.

When I woke up in the hospital bed with Kaito bawling over me and the old man watching over me with a worried expression. When they realized I woke they were so relieved. Kaito cried, apologizing to me for almost getting me killed. The old man also apologized, and offered to take me, along with Kaito-sama, to an amusement park. I didn't care; I was happy that Kaito-sama cared for me.

I broke both my legs, and my hip bone fractured. I had to be in a wheelchair for four months. All that time it was Kaito-sama who took care of me. He fed me, helped me get to my bed, spent all day with me. He even helped me when I took my baths," She stopped. "Nothing sexual, of course." She added, before anyone could react. "But that was when I realized, that I loved him." She said, her eyes once again brimming with tears.

…..

Kaito and Erika sat at the bench, several bottles rolling across the floor.

Erika groaned. "How, how much di-did we drink?" She asked.

Kaito glanced at the ground, and counted eight. "Alot," He answered. He looked at Erika. "I don't think I've ever felt this happy before." He said. "It's so fun being with you." He whispered.

Erika blushed. "I like being with you too," She replied. Her heart began increasing its beat as it got louder and faster as she stared at him. She turned her head away and looked down at the floor. "You treat me like nobody ever did before." She told Kaito. "I've never felt any happier. I-I love you!" She shouted, and Kaito jumped back in surprise.

Seeing his reaction, she began to tear up. "I'm, I'm sorry," She whimpered, turning away.

Kaito walked up to her and hugged her in a warm embrace to Erika's surprise. "I love you too, Erika. I love you too," He pulled her head in close as their lips touched.

Erika flustered for the twenty seconds they made contact. She pulled her head back, and began hyperventilating. She turned away, her face a dark shade of red. "Wha-I-I-Why-" She stumbled on her words, both from embarrassment and from the liquor.

Kaito smiled. "Let this happen," He whispered, taking Erika's chin and pulling her in for another kiss. This lasted for a minute before they parted.

Erika blushed. "This was the first time," She mumbled, "I can't believe it."

Kaito grabbed her by the shoulders. "We're perfect for each other!" He exclaimed. "I've never been so close to another person!"

"Me too. I feel like most people try to avoid me," Erika mumbled. She leaned into Kaito's chest. "I always feel like a burden. But not when I'm around you." She said.

Kaito raised Erika's chin up with his hand. "You're a special girl to me. I saw through you when we first met. I always held an interest in you from the start,"

Erika beamed. "Me too," She leaned up and kissed him on the lips. They leaned backwards and fell onto the bench.

Erika took her lips off of Kaito. "It feels so good coming out," She said, laying on top of him.

Kaito sighed. "Yeah, I guess," He agreed. His head rolled back, and he felt unconsciousness take over.

….

"You what?" Nishi threw the glass against the wall, where it shattered.

"Nishi!" Arai shouted. "What is wrong with you?"

Naoki stared at Tanya. "You, love the commander?" He questioned. Tanya nodded vigorously.

"And have you told him?" Earl Grey asked.

"No, I haven't. I didn't want to ruin whatever we have right now." Tanya replied, "But I don't know what to do anymore!" She choked out, tears streaming down her face. "I don't know if I should tell him my feelings, or if I should keep my emotions to myself for the sake of work!" She put her head down. "I want to tell him, but I don't want feelings to get in the way of my work." She sobbed, "I don't know what to do anymore."

Everybody looked down in silence. Rumi, Azumi and Megumi looked away with a guilty look in their eyes. Nishi had begun crying as well.

Maho patted Tanya on the back. "I support whatever choice you will make," She said. "Do what thinks is best for yourself and Kaito."

Tanya looked up at Maho, tears staining her face. "Really?" She whimpered.

Arai stood up. "Don't worry. Whatever you do, we'll have your back," She said.

Earl Grey smiled. "Do what you think is right,"

Tanya stood up. "I'm going to go look for Kaito-sama," She announced.

Maho stood up as well. "I'll be looking for Erika," She said, chasing after Tanya.

….

Tanya jogged through the garden, while Tanya wobbled from behind. Eventually Maho found Tanya standing in front of the gazebo. Both Erika and Kaito were sleeping, surrounded by empty bottles.

Maho realized Tanya was quivering. "Are you alright?" She asked, waving her crutch.

Tanya nodded. "I'm just happy Kaito-sama found somebody for himself," She replied. She walked over and picked Kaito up, carrying him like a baby. She kissed him on the forehead. "I'll just watch from the sidelines." She said sadly, leaving Maho alone with a sleeping Erika.

 _How the hell am I supposed to bring her back?_ Maho thought, staring at Erika.

* * *

 **Hoozah! A new chapter, with drinking, new character and backstories with love! As an emotionless robot myself, I hope it wasn't** _ **too**_ **sappy for anybody's tastes. I've never written anything like this before, so I really didn't know what to write. But I figured something out, so all is well I guess. If there are things I could improve on, just review or PM me.**


	25. Family Reunion

**Chapter Twenty Four: Family Reunion**

 **June 19th, Kuromorimine Girl's High School Carrier, 8:00 A.M.**

Kaito slowly opened his eyes and raised his head. He looked around, and saw he was in a large room, in a pink bed. A fan gently turned above him, blowing cool wind. There was a large dresser with its doors open; there were several black uniforms hanging in there. There was a chair with a Panzer hat hanging off the back. In front of it was a desk, with a portrait of Miho and Maho together was on the center of the desk. _Oh, this is Maho's room,_ Kaito thought. His eyes widened. _Wait, why am I here? How did I get here?_ He rubbed his eyes and yawned. _What happened with last night-_ He turned red as the memories of the previous night flooded back into him. _Oh, God oh God oh God!_ He shook his head. _Did I really do-_

There was a knock at the door, and Kaito's back shot up. He saw the door open, and was surprised to see Tanya standing there, with a tray of food in her hands.

"Good morning, Kaito-sama," She walked towards him, placing the tray on the bed. "You should thank Maho for letting you sleep in her bed." She said.

"Then where did she-" Kaito began to ask, but Tanya interrupted him.

"She and Erika slept in the living room." She replied.

Kaito began shoving pieces of eggs into his mouth. "Hm, this is good food," He said.

Tanya nodded. "You know, it was quite troublesome of us to carry you back to the carrier. You two had quite a party together,"

Kaito heard a hint of resentment in her voice. He blushed. "Well, yeah we did. Wait, carrier?" He asked.

Tanya nodded. "We're on the Kuromorimine carrier, heading back to Kumamoto. There's going to be a parade for us," She quickly replied.

"Oh," Kaito said. "That's nice."

Tanya scoffed. "Whatever you say, Kaito-sama,"

Kaito looked up from the plate, and his eyes widened. "Why-why are you dressed like that?" He asked, pointing at Tanya.

Tanya looked down, and turned red. She was wearing nothing but her undergarments. "It's early in the morning, Kaito-sama, is this a problem for you?" Her eyes narrowed and a sly grin appeared on her lips. "Or is this arousing for you? Does this distract you?" Her fingers moved towards the straps of her bra.

Kaito shrugged. "No, not really," He replied nonchalantly.

Tanya recoiled. "Okay, fine. I'll just go then," She said in a somewhat dejected voice as she got up. "Get up after you finish that." She ordered as she closed the door.

"Huh, I wonder what's wrong with her," Kaito muttered as he shoveled more food into his mouth.

 **Nishizumi Mansion, Tokyo**

Shiho knelt silently by the desk, flipping through papers. The door to the garden was open, the slight breeze floating inside. Wind chimes made echoing _riing_ noises as they spun around. She barely heard the TV blaring from across the room.

" _It is here in Kagoshima where the victorious JSDF and Kuromorimine Senshadou Teams are going to make their procession this afternoon. 20,000 men and women that have fought to protect our nation will march down our streets in a glorious return!_ "

Shiho ignored it, choosing to finishing her work. She signed the last paper off and placed it on the top of the stack of papers. She sighed as she leaned back, wiping her brow with her arm. She took the stack of papers and opened a small drawer. As she noticed a small book tucked in the corner.

Intrigued, she picked up the book and walked back to the table. She set the book down and opened it. It was a picture album of the past decade. She sifted through pictures of Maho and Miho when they were younger, playing on the beach and laying under the sun. She flipped to one page and saw a picture of herself and Kijiro, herself in a beautiful wedding dress, and Kijiro in a shiny black suit. A surge of anger built up inside of her, and she wanted to rip the little book into pieces. But she calmed herself down and turned the other page.

It was a picture of Shiho, Maho, Miho as well as two other people-an older man and a young girl. Maho and Miho were extremely young, around eight and six respectively. The older man was around Shiho's age, and the little girl around six years old. The old man wore a dark green military uniform, with several medals overlapping each other on his chest. Colorful ribbons were pinned above his chest pockets. His over the top peaked top was not on him, but instead plopped on top of the little girl, who sported a long ponytail and also wore a military uniform, except with a frilly dress. They were all standing in front of several large IS-2 Soviet tanks, lying in rows in the background.

They all looked happy without a care in the world. Everybody was laughing, staring at the camera. A wave of sadness hit Shiho like a tidal wave. With tears in her eyes, she closed the book shut and pushed it away. _To think there were times like that..._ She thought. On instinct she looked at her phone, and her eyes widened when she saw the date. _June 19th, that's when he died..._

"Shiho-sama! Are you ready to pick up Miho-ojousama?" Kikuyo's voice called out. She walked into the room. "What are you doing, Shiho-sama?" She asked.

Shiho looked up at her as she stood up. "Just the anniversary of the death of a good friend of mine. Come one, let's go get Miho,"

 **Pyongyang Military Cemetary, North Korea**

Mi-jing stood silently in front of the gravestone, holding a bouquet. She placed it in front of the gravestone, which was no different that the thousand other headstones in the cemetary. The only thing that set it apart from the rest was the name on the headstone: Ryuk Yong-gon.

Mi-jing sighed as a few flowers floated out of the bouquet. She bent over to pick them up and put them back. After stood back up, she stared at the gravestone. _It's been ten years,_ she thought, _Ten years since you've died, father. It's been too long since I saw you._ She exhaled deeply. _I joined the war and even became famous throughout the continent,_ She smiled faintly to herself. _Well, infamous is the right word. Being the daughter of a tank commander certainly has its benefits._ Tears began forming at the edge of her eyes. _Father, I've been alone for ten years. You were the only person that cared for me after mother died. But after you died, I've been struggling all this time._

She composed herself. _Father, you taught me well. I took everything you said to heart and fought in the South and Okinawa. I fought extremely long and hard to keep the country you loved together. I climbed through the ranks of the military, I had to just to survive. Father, I hope you are sleeping in peace. Please, if you already are, please keep watching over me._

"Mi-jing!" A raspy voice called out. Mi-jing turned around to see her uncle, Ryuk Song-thaek, a small, wirey man with bald spots standing behind her. He walked over to her father's grave. "Your father was a great man, loyal to the supreme leader and the nation," He put his hand on her shoulder. "To see his murderers still run around free makes me boil with rage." He looked down at Mi-jing. "I am glad to see you have grown up to become a loyal servant for our great nation."

Mi-jing looked down. "Thank you, uncle," She murmured.

Song-thaek smiled. "Good. Let's go back to the car,"

They drove away from the cemetary, through the urban center of Pyongyang. Mi-jing stared through the window, while her uncle was driving. Storm clouds began forming, and rain _pitter pattered_ against the car.

"Mi-jing." Song-thaek said.

"Hm?" Mi-jing looked up.

"You got an invite from Lady Wu for a 'meeting' in a few months. It'll be in Beijing, with a few other girls. It'll be with the tank commanders from our allied nations," He said. "Are you going to go?"

"Yes!" Mi-jing shouted.

Song-thaek nodded. "Your flying expenses will be paid for,"

Mi-jing beamed. "Thank you, uncle!" Then a thought came to her. "But isn't she fighting in Malaysia?" She asked.

A wry smile crept onto her uncle's face. "The tide will turn down there soon," He muttered. Mi-jing stared at him, before shrugging and turning back to face the window.

 **Ooarai High School Carrier**

Miho and her friends stood by the helipad, while the student council watched from behind.

Miho turned to look at Anzu. "Are you sure this is okay?" She asked.

Anzu gave a thumbs up. "Don't worry. Hijikata gave you the green light," She replied.

"We're finally going to meet your sister, this is so exciting," Yukari exclaimed.

"And your brother!" Saori added.

Miho chuckled. "He's just a half-brother," She explained.

"Same thing," Saori grumbled.

"I guess Saori is desperate for anybody," Mako commented, to which Saori karate chopped her head.

"He does seem like an interesting person," Hana said.

Miho nodded. "Yeah, I really want to meet him,"

They all heard the rotors of a helicopter, and looked up to see a sleek, black helicopter descended onto the helipad. The side door opened, and the figure of Nishizumi Shiho stepped out.

Miho stepped forward, looking down meekly. "Mother," She whispered. To her surprise, Shiho took her in a tight embrace.

"I'm sorry for all these years," Shiho muttered.

"I, um, ah-" Miho stuttered, not expecting this.

Shiho let go, facing Miho with a faint smile. "You really did grow up. Not under the my Nishizumi Style, but your own Nishizumi style. If it works for you, then I don't have a problem," She and turned to the rest of the girls, who all felt a cold shiver go down their spine. "You girls really helped Miho out, and I'm thankful for that." She bowed. "I know I'm a tough person, I do admit that. But I am now trying to bring back what I've pushed away for years," She turned back to Miho. "I'm sorry for being a bad mother. I understand if you don't like me, but just remember I'll always be here for you." She exhaled.

Miho shook her head. "No, it's alright. It really is. I'm just glad everything is fine now." She sputtered out.

Shiho took Miho's shoulder and steered towards the helicopter. She turned her head to the other girls. "Want to come?" She asked. Their mouths hung open.

"Can we?" Saori exclaimed.

Shiho shrugged. "Fine with me," She replied.

Saori twisted her head towards Anzu, who grinned. "Yes please!" she shouted with enthusiasm.

 **Kuromorimine Girl's High School Carrier**

Kaito walked out of Maho's room, and found Maho sitting silently, next to a sleeping Erika on the blue couch. Maho was watching the news, which was showing footage of Okinawa.

"Morning," Maho waved.

Kaito nodded back. "Morning,"

"You're finally up," Kaito saw Tanya was now dressed in a light green military uniform with a short skirt, and wore long, white leggings. "Is this better?" she demanded.

Kaito shrugged. "I guess," He replied. Tanya glared at him before stomping off.

Kaito stared at Maho. "What's with her?" He asked.

Maho chuckled. "I don't know. Maybe because you ran off with sleepy head here to have a little drinking party," She said.

Kaito frowned. "But I thought it would be completely okay. Hell, even you urged us to go," He told her.

"Well, that was just me. I never was speaking for Tanya," Maho retorted.

Maho felt something move next to her. Erika stirred awake, and yawned.

"Morning, Erika." Maho said.

"Good morning, commander," Erika groggily returned the greeting. She wiped her eyes and looked at Kaito. Her eyes went wide and flushed red as blood soared into her head. "I, uh, good morning!" She shouted.

Kaito also blushed. "Morning," He muttered.

Maho's lips curved into a smirk. "Oh, did something happen?" She asked.

Both Erika and Kaito turned towards Maho. "No!" They both shouted, and Maho jumped up.

"Okay, of you say so," Maho rolled her eyes as she left the room. "I have to do other stuff right now, so you two hang out together."

The two teenagers stood silently, staring at each other.

"So, how did you sleep?" Kaito asked.

"Good. You?" Erika whispered.

Kaito nodded. "It's kind of weird to say it but, Maho's bed was comfortable," He said.

Erika chuckled. "The couch was comfortable too,"

Kaito sighed. "Today's the day," He muttered.

Erika leaned back on the couch. "Yeah. In just a few hours, we'll be back in Japan,"

"There's going to be a huge parade for us,"

"Really? Are we famous or something?"

"We're pretty famous back home. We did win the battle after all,"

"It was a tough battle for us,"

"It was. We went through some pretty crazy shit," Kaito said. He plopped down on the couch next to Erika, who scooted away. He eyed her. "Is something wrong?" He tilted his head towards her.

"No," Erika whimpered, "It's just that…"

Hiroi came strolling in the room whistling. He stopped when he saw the two sitting on the couch. "Oh, hey!" He waved his hand. "Hey Erika, you need to lighten up a little. Carrying you was such a pain." He said. Erika flushed red, and he grinned. "Teens these days, doing what they want."

"You're only nineteen," Kaito pointed out.

Hiroi laughed. "You've got a point there!"

"What are you even doing here?" Erika glared at him.

"Oh, I just crashed here." Hiroi answered.

"You just, crashed here?" Kaito repeated in disbelief.

Hiroi nodded. "Yeah. I mean, why not? Maho let me,"

"Yeah, Maho's really nice," Came a voice from out in the hallway. The figures of Nishi and Lasagna sauntered in.

"I slept in the bathtub while Nishi was on the floor," Lasagna mumbled.

"What the hell?" Erika shouted. "Why is everybody deciding to sleep in Maho's house?"

"Is that a problem?" Earl Grey and Naoki pushed Nishi and Lasagna out of the way. "We're all friends here."

"And where did you sleep?" Erika demanded.

Earl Grey giggled. "We had to sleep under the kitchen table," She touched Naoki's shoulder, who trembled.

"Why is there so many people in my house?" Everybody turned and saw Maho standing by the doorway with a perplexed expression on her face. "I don't remember inviting all of you into my home." She said in a low tone.

"Yeah, you're all creeps," Tanya added, and everybody stepped back.

"Then where did you sleep?" Maho asked her. Tanya blushed and took a step back.

 **Kagoshima**

Miho was shocked by the amount of people that had come. Thousands of people lined up across the street, eager for the moment the Kuromorimine school carrier lands in port. Food stands were set up, taking advantage of the throngs of people to earn a few extra yen.

They walked through the sidewalk, trying to get a view of the street.

"There's so many people!" Saori exclaimed. "Wah, now we can't get a front row view!"she cried.

"I wonder what kinds of tanks I'll be able to see…" Yukari dreamily said to herself.

"With the cheering, I can't get enough sleep!" Maho angrily mumbled.

"Don't worry, we're going to stay at an inn after this-" Miho squealed as she bumped into somebody.

"Mihosha?" A shrill voice made Miho look up in confusion.

"Katyusha-san?" She exclaimed. The shape of Nonna with Katyusha on her shoulders peered down.

"Good morning, Miho-san," Nonna extended her hand.

Miho took it, and stood back up. "What are you two doing here?" She asked.

Katyusha grinned. "We're here to watch the parade, of course! And One of my subordinates has a sister in the Emperor's Regiment!" She shouted.

Two short figures popped up from behind Nonna. "Hello!" They said.

Yukari perked up. "Oh, if it isn't the loader of the KV-2!" She exclaimed.

The shorter of the two girls stared at Yukari with a strange expression, before a sudden realization hit her. "Geh!" She jumped back behind Nonna.

The taller girl stared at her. "Nina, what's wrong?" She asked.

Nina trembled. "Alina, I made a mistake. A very bad mistake…" She muttered.

Alina shrugged, before turning to Miho. "Nina's sister is in the army, and she'll be coming here real soon," She said.

Nonna nodded. "And they are complete opposites. Nina is short and clumsy, while her sister is tall and graceful," She added.

"I'm stronger than her though," Nina grumbled. "I can throw her over my shoulder."

Nonna looked down at her. "But your sister is as tall as me," She said with her eyes wide.

"Do you know how heavy a KV-2 shell is? I have to load the black powder too," Nina told her.

" _We'll have a new Aleksandr Karelin,_ " Klara seemingly teleported behind Nonna, and Katyusha let out an audible gasp.

"Klara, where were you?" She demanded. Klara looked at her with a confused look on her face. Katyusha groaned. "Fine, you don't have to tell me." She said.

"You have a brother in the army too, right? Along with Mahosha?" She looked back down at Miho.

Maho nodded sheepishly. "Yeah, I didn't know I had a half-brother,"

"I was very perplexed," Nonna said. "Your family is bigger than we thought." She chuckled. "We all have little surprises, don't we."

"Ah, hello Nishizumi and Katyusha-san!" Everybody turned around and saw Nishi Kinuyo, Fukuda and everybody else from Chi-ha-Tan had come over.

Miho bowed. "Nishi-san, good morning," She said. "What brings you here?"

"My sister is in the parade, and I am excited to see her!" Kinuyo answered. "Apparently she is in the same regiment with your brother." She informed Miho.

Her jaw fell. "What? That is really weird!" She exclaimed.

"What a coincidence…" Klara muttered.

"It would be interesting to meet up with everybody," Kinuyo said.

"Hey, Miho! Nice to see you!" Key jumped into the fray, followed by Naomi and Alisa. They all held popcorn, soda and cotton candy.

"Key-san?" Miho shouted in surprise.

Key grinned. "I just came to enjoy the party!" She exclaimed.

Alisa groaned from behind. "Please commander, tone down." She tried to pull Key back, but Key pushed her away as she hugged Miho.

"Ready to see your big bro?" Naomi prodded Miho's face with her finger.

Miho giggled. "Well, I've mentally prepared myself as much as I could," She admitted.

Key pulled Miho in closer. "I want to meet him myself, to be honest," She whispered.

"Hey! I'm going to meet him first!" Saori jumped into the conservation.

Key backed off. "Whoah, whoah. Competition!" She grabbed onto Alisa. "Hey, Alisa. Forget Takashi. Miho's brother is our new target!" She proclaimed mischievously.

"Half-brother…" Miho muttered in defeat.

"But is there any meaning to all of this?" The sound of a kantele drifted to the group.

"Oh, Mika-san. Do you have a family member in the army too?" Miho asked without turning her head around.

"No, where there is treasure, pirates are sure to follow," Mika's soothing voice floated back.

"What does that mean?" Kinuyo asked.

Mikko grinned. "Hey, there's thousands of people here. They won't notice a wallet or some food go missing," She mischievously answered.

"Oh, okay…" Miho said, taking in what she said.

"Hey, no, they didn't mean that!" Aki barged in, "I'm sorry if they are more abnormal than usual." She bowed profusely towards Miho. "We're bit in even more of a situation than usual." She explained. "But we will never resort to thievery!" She said.

"And when will you give back our tank?" katyusha narrowed her eyes towards Aki, who slid back with a pale face.

"Oh, I feel there is an air of elegance here," Darjeeling, Assam, Orange Pekoe and Rosehip walked over.

"Ah, Darjeeling, morning," Nonna said, "Fancy seeing you here."

Darjeeling smiled. "Well, I can't ever refuse an invitation to a public tea party,"

"Nobody invited you though," A gruff voice made her freeze. A Drill Sergeant placed his rough hand on her shoulder, and she shuddered. "You just had to run away don't you?" He glared at her.

"Please sir, a friend of mine is returning from the war, and I want to see her," Darjeeling, in a rare moment of losing her composure, almost began to cry.

The Drill Sergeant sighed. "Okay, fine. Do whatever you like. But when we get back you're going to do 200 push-ups and sit-ups," He turned around and disappeared in the crowd. Orange Pekoe got out a tissue and wiped her eyes.

"Thank you," She whispered. She regained her composure. "Pleasure seeing all of you here." She said, raising a teacup.

Katyusha sneered. "What was that, Darjeeling? Got some daddy issues?" She hissed.

Darjeeling's eyes once again begin to overflow with tears. "The Sarge is, the Sarge is such a mean man! Even to a delicate lady such as myself! He even banned teatime for a week!" She wailed.

Key gasped. "Oh my gosh," She mumbled, dropping a handful of popcorn.

Darjeeling wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry for being so emotional, but it has been a long time ever since I last saw Earl Grey and-" She pulled herself into Orange Pekoe and wailed, who patted her blonde hair. She and Assam were chuckling to themselves, putting their hands over their mouths.

"I've never seen Darjeeling-sama like this," Assam wheezed.

"You guys are sadists," Alisa muttered.

"Hey hey, you guys had a pasta party without me? What are you, crazy?" Anchovy sauntered in, flanked by Carpaccio and Pepperoni.

"Is Taka-chan here?" Carpaccio asked in a hopeful tone.

Yukari shook her head. "Sorry, but only the Anglerfish team is here today." She replied. Carpaccio nodded and slunk away.

"Your big bro's coming home, isn't he?" Pepperoni shouted.

Anchovy nodded. "He's a bit strange, but he's alright,"

"You have a brother?" Katyusha asked.

Anchovy nodded. "Yeah, he's got the Italian side of the family,"

"Italian side of the family?" Miho inquired.

"Mom's Italian. Dad's Japanese. They used to argue on what our names should be. They had to rock paper scissors each time. Mom won the first time, so my brother got the Italian name Rudolfo. When I was born, my dad won so I got Chiyomi," Anchovy explained.

"Oh, that's abnormal," Key said.

"What a group we have!" Nishi exclaimed.

"Yes, let's go get some front row seats!" Katyusha added.

"I want to see your brother!" Saori exclaimed. Miho smiled awkwardly.

They shoved and pushed their way through the crowd.

"Gah, Nishi-dono!" Fukuda cried, extending her hand in the sea of people. Being small as she was, she was slowly becoming separated.

"Fukuda!" Nishi shouted, her outstretched arm clawing to grab Fukuda..

"Noooo!" Fukuda wailed. She started panicking, struggling not to get trampled by the thousands of people. Then she felt herself being lifted in the air, and was plopped on the shoulders of Key.

"Don't worry little one! You're safe with me!" She grinned.

Fukuda beamed. "Key-dono!"

"I can't see!" Nina shouted. "I'm too small!" Klara bent over and threw her over her shoulder. She quaked on top of Klara for a minute, before stopping abruptly. She scanned over the ocean of heads in wonder. "Wow, this is what Commander Katyusha feels like everyday!" She said.

Katyusha turned her head to look at Nina. "It feels good, doesn't it?" She smiled brightly.

Mikko and Aki crept up behind Mika, their feet landing softly against the concrete sidewalk.

"Hey, watch this," Mikko whispered, putting her finger up against her lips. Aki watched with glee as Mikko launched herself and propelled herself onto Mika. To both their dismay Mika crouched down and caught Mikko with both her arms.

"H-how?" Mikko sputtered.

Mika smiled. "You may trick Mother Earth, but a human's soul you can never fool." She told them.

Yukari tugged at Miho's sleeve. "Can't we do it to? Pleaase? Everybody else is doing it." She begged.

"I'm sorry, but we're too big for it," Miho replied. "And the people that are doing it are the small people riding on the large people." The heads of Katyusha, Fukuda, Mikko and Nina swiveled to glare at Miho, who quickly turned away.

"Hey, most of the crowd is of young girls," Hana realized. Miho glanced around. She was right; everybody around her was around the same age, though with varying sizes and shapes. They were all clamoring for the front, even before the soldiers had even disembarked. _Oh no,_ Miho thought. _I hope they aren't all like Saori…_

…..

Right next to the entrance of the port was a rolling camera, with a news reporter standing in the middle of the frame. He was a tall, lanky fellow with thick glasses. "Well, it is almost time," He said in a high-pitched voice, "The Kuromorimine carrier is within half an hour of Kagoshima. As we can see here, there are already many fans-" He moved out of the way to reveal the throngs of young girls screaming. "-that have congregated to receive our new heroes. But they aren't the only ones!" The camera panned to the left, revealing a large set of bleachers with a roof hanging over. "Over there are the top members of the JSDF and government. Even the Emperor himself have come to spectate the parade."

….

Shiho walked up the stands, looking at each row. She wanted to get the best view of the street below her. She clicked her tongue in annoyance as her high heels wobbled against the steps.

"Instructor!" Shiho turned her head and saw Ami waving her arm. Shiho walked over to Ami and sat down.

"Good day, huh?" Ami said.

Shiho nodded. "Yeah. How was your time in Australia?" She questioned.

Ami chuckled. "Not too bad, to be honest. We talked a few things. Most of the countries were represented, though Indonesia didn't send anybody for the first day or two. Eventually we got a few things done, signing a few documents and stuff," She said, "We got a formal alliance going with our neighbors in the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and Malaysia."

"So we're going to send troops into Malaysia?" Shiho inquired.

"No, not yet. But we will be sending troops the the Philippines as a united force," Ami answered.

…..

"There's a lot of people here," Shiho observed.

"Yup, people from the government and military are here," Ami said. "Look, there's General Ayazaki." She pointed. Shiho turned around and saw the huge figure of General Ayazaki sitting a few steps back. Shiho spun her head back to Ami.

"Hm, what a surprise to see you here," Shiho twirled to face Sakurai sitting down next to her. "It's not like I wanted to come, but I was forced to." He grumbled. "I had things to do. I was forced by _him_." He nodded his head backwards, and Shiho and Ami looked up.

Shiho's face turned red with anger when she saw Kijiro sitting at the very top, chatting with the _Emperor_ himself. He was laughing loudly, waving his hands in the air. The Emperor sat silently, smiling and nodding to whatever Kijiro was saying. He was a tall man, with short, black hair swept to the side of his head. Next to him was a younger boy, around the age of Miho, sitting quietly and staring forwards. He also had short black hair, which was split at the middle. They both wore black suits and tie, with shiny black shoes. The younger boy was leaning back in the seat, arms crossed.

As Shiho stared at the trio up above, the boy glanced down. Their eyes met, and were locked in a minute-long silence. Shiho was unable to turn her head away as she continued to stare up at him. The boy's eyes were narrowed, and so looked bored and apathetic. _What the hell?_ Shiho thought. _Is he…_

"Instructor! Stop gaping at the Crown Prince!" Ami shook Shiho's shoulder.

Shiho's head jerked forward. "Oh, sorry. I don't know what got into me…" She muttered.

"Are you into those kinds of boys?" Ami jeered.

Shiho frowned. "No," She answered.

"Don't worry about it, Chouno. Those kinds of things run in the Nishizumi family," Sakurai said gruffly next to Shiho. She glared at him, and he quickly backed away.

The rest of the seats was quickly filled up as politicians and generals filed in. Shiho spotted through the crowd a tall man with glasses walking up the stairs. Renta glanced over and gulped as he saw Shiho staring at him. He quickened his pace, and took his place next to Kijiro.

"Instructor, the time is almost here," Ami said excitedly. Shiho nodded. _At last, I get to see Maho,_ She thought to herself.

 **Kuromorimine Girl's High School Carrier**

"It's almost time," Tanya said as the Emperor's regiment checked their uniforms and weapons for the last time on the streets that led to the ramp off the carrier.

"I'm so nervous," Erika panted.

Maho looked at her. "Yeah, we're going to be on national television,"

"And there's going to be a bunch of people waiting for us," Kaito added.

Maho straightened and put on her Panzer jacket. "Okay girls, get into your Panzers! We're going to put on a display that will show the world our strength and valor!" She shouted. The Kuromorimine Senshadou team quickly got into their respective vehicles and maneuvered into a column.

"Hey hey, don't forget about us!" Maho turned around and saw Francisca strolling up to her. "I did a good job too, right señora?" She leaned forward, forcing Maho to take a step back.

Maho smiled. "You're one of our comrades too,"

Kaito sharpened his guntō and slid it back into his scabbard. He touched his hair, which covered the bandages that were still wrapped against his forehead. His finger touched the bandage, and recoiled as pain singed through his entire head. _Aw damn it,_ he thought. _I guess I really should have held myself back…_

"Kaito-sama," Tanya stood right in front of him. "You need to pull yourself together. Here." She knelt down and brushed Kaito's uniform down. She dug into her pocket and took out a small brush. "Hold still." She commanded as she pulled Kaito's head closer.

"Hey, I can do this on my own!" He complained.

"But you don't." Tanya curtly replied, to Kaito's dismay. Tanya began to pull the comb through Kaito's hair, straightening out the disheveled hair.

Kaito groaned as she continued to sift through his hair. "Gah!" he exclaimed as she took his hair in her hand. "Could you not?" He demanded.

Tanya dropped his hair. "I'm just trying to help," She muttered dejectedly.

"Oh, I just thought you should focus on yourself!" Kaito immediately backtracked as he took the comb out of Tanya's hand and began pulling it down Tanya's hair. She smiled as Kaito straightened out her hair.

Maho tapped her foot anxiously against the concrete road. Sweat poured down her face, and she wiped it off with her handkerchief. She sighed as she looked around her Senshadou team. _Millions of people will be watching us,_ she thought, _don't freak out, don't freak out…_

"Are you guys all ready?" A voice called out.

Maho straightened up. "Alright, girls, panzer vor!"

 **Kagoshima**

Miho stood in the middle of the crowd, looking out into the street. Everybody was in anticipation of the arriving soldiers.

" _Attention everybody! The Kuromorimine High School carrier has just touched down in Kagoshima harbor! Let us welcome back our brave heroes and heroines!_ " A voice announced through the speakers.

The crowd erupted in a loud cheer, and Miho had to cover her ears. The AJYA marching band began playing as the first tanks and soldiers touched down on land.

"The moment is here!" Saori squealed.

"Ooooh, this is interesting," Katyusha noted.

Suddenly the once empty streets were now filled with marching soldiers and rolling tanks. The crowd exploded with cheering and applause as they passed through.

Miho's eyes widened when she saw the familiar shape of the Panzers of the Kuromorimine Senshadou team pass through the streets. She tiptoed over the heads of the dozens of girls screaming in front of her, just to see Maho waving at the crowds from her Panzer X.

"Oneechan!" She shouted.

Maho's head snapped to where Miho was, and a look of shock came over her. "Miho!" She exclaimed as the Panzer X drove forwards. Miho watched as the Panzer disappeared, feeling happy inside.

…

Maho had briefly seen Miho, and a feeling of happiness overcame her. _She came over to see me,_ she thought, tears forming at the edge of her eyes. She wiped them and continued to wave at the crowds.

….

Kaito marched at the very front of the procession, his chest pointed high and his chin jutted outwards. He made prideful strides in his shiny military uniform, his guntō hanging from his hips. While he was uncomfortable being in the very front, he was also grinning as he saw all the girls screaming his name, reaching their arms out to touch him. _So this is how a celebrity feels!_ He thought. He winked, and the girls squealed even harder.

Kaito heard grumbling next to him. He turned to his left and saw Tanya staring blankly ahead.

"Something wrong?" He muttered.

"No," Tanya hissed back. Kaito smiled and gave off a little salute to the girls in the crowd. He grimaced; all the noise was finally starting to get to him.

Then someone from the crowd threw a bra at him, landing on his shoulder. Kaito swiftly grabbed it and looked at it. Behind one cup there was a phone number and a "Call me" with a heart at the end. He stared at it for a minute before Tany grabbed it and threw it behind her.

"Hey," Kaito protested, "That was someone's-"

"Shut it, perv," Tanya hissed, and Kaito faced forwards, disappointed.

…

"Dammit, commander always gets the attention," Lasagna muttered, "I want girls to ogle over me."

"Yeah, it kinda sucks," Nishi added, "Not the girl part. Just the attention part."

"I think it's fine," Naoki said, marching behind them. "They still love us." He was right; the crowd was throwing flowers at all the soldiers, and Naoki caught a bouquet in the air.

"Yeah, they love you," Nishi grumbled.

…

Erika leaned against her cupola, waving at the crowds. Most of them were girls, but there were males as well. She turned red when some of the men whistled at her. She tried to shrink down, but Kanagawa poked her in the legs.

…..

Shiho watched with intent at the parade, trying to discern Maho from the rest. She leaned forward, and gasped when she saw Maho's Panzer.

"What a proud girl," Ami whispered.

Shiho smiled. "Yeah," She agreed.

…..

20,000 victorious men and women marched through Kagoshima, TV cameras broadcasting them to the entire nation, with millions at home watching with awe. But the They were not only the pride of their nation, but a ray of hope for the Allied cause of the war as well. Although the JSDF had suffered heavy casualties, they had dealt a heavier blow to North Korea, and showed the Allies that Japan would be an important player in this conflict. Before the victory at Okinawa, they had lost every campaign to the North Korea-China alliance. For the first time, they had shown themselves not to be weak, but that they were still in the fight, not ready to give up. They had shattered the invincibility of the North Korean military. Certainly, they were the beacons of hope and freedom of Asia.

…..

 **Several Hours later…**

The parade was over, and the crowd slowly trickled back to wherever they came from. Except for one flock of girls, who surrounded Kaito.

"Kaito-sama! Let me take a selfie with you!" One girl screamed.

"Let me hold your sword!" Another one cried.

"My house is literally right down the street! Please stay the night, I'll reward you for your hard work!" A third one exclaimed.

Kaito waved his hand as he was being surrounded. "Alright, a few selfies are fine, I don't know what your referring to when you say sword, and no, I don't think I really can-" The girls squealed and rushed him. There were hundreds of flashes and clicking of cameras. He felt girls grab his arms, chest, face and head. "Oh jeez, can you girls relax? I need some breathing space." However, the girls continued to squeeze him.

…..

Alice was wandering through Kagoshima alone. _Where did mother go?_ She thought, _Why did she have to get lost again?_ She carried her Boko with her, looking for Chiyo. She crisscrossed streets packed with people, trying to find her way. _I guess I'll go to the inn we're staying at. She's bound to be there…_

She found herself at one street corner, where she saw a group of girls surrounding what seemed to be a man.

"Kaito-sama!" They screamed, and Alice froze. _Kaito?_ She thought, _No, that can't be._ She quickly ran over to the group of girls, eager to take a look at herself. She tried to slide into the group, but was unable to make enough room for herself.

"Go away, little girl!" She shouted, pushing Alice to the ground. Alice landed hard, dropping her Boko.

The boko rolled into the gaggle of girls, where it was kicked around by the all the fangirls. Alice reached her hand out as the boko disappeared, and she let out a little groan.

….

"Please, girls! I understand but please back off!" Kaito shouted as he pushed girls away from him. One girl flashed him, and he instinctively turned away. "I need some personal space!" He looked down at the ground, and noticed a small Boko doll on the ground. He picked it up; it was dirty and ruffled, but he quickly realized whose doll it was. "Alice?" He exclaimed, "Where are you?"

…

Alice heard Kaito call him, and she shot up from the ground. She began shoving her way through the crowd, much to their surprise. "Kaito!" She shouted. She burst through the crowd, her hands on her knees, panting as she stared at the wide-eyed Kaito holding her Boko.

"Alice," Kaito said, looking amused at the girl.

Alice stood there, completely petrified as all eyes were on her. Her face was completely red. "Kaito," She mumbled, "you remembered me."

Kaito smiled. "Of course I did," He said, stepping forward right up to Alice. "We're Boko buddies, remember?"

Alice lit up, and sprung into Kaito's arms. "I missed you," She exclaimed, "I was really worried for you."

"Thanks, I really appreciate it," Kaito chuckled, hugging her back. "I really do."

 _He didn't say he missed me back,_ Alice thought sadly. "I can't believe your related to Miho," She whispered.

"Oh yeah, you fought her in Senshadou, didn't you?" Kaito asked, and Alice nodded. "Great! You can introduce me to her." He exclaimed.

Alice grumbled underneath her breath. She let go of Kaito and took her doll. "We're stopping at the same inn," She muttered.

"Oh, that's a coincidence. I'm staying at an inn too, along with my squadmates. It's for a rest long overdue," Kaito said. He leaned down to Alice's level. "In fact, I'm going there right now, but I'm trying to get rid of these girls." He whispered into her ear.

Alice nodded. "I'm going there too, because my mother is lost. If I go back to the inn maybe I can get to her," She whispered back.

Kaito stared at her. "Oh, she's lost?" He asked, "Doesn't she have a phone?"

Alice shrugged. "She has it off for some reason," She replied. She looked up at Kaito. "Maybe we can find her together." She suggested.

Kaito smirked as he swooped Alice off her feet and cradled him in her arms. "Alright then. Lead the way," He winked. He turned to the stunned girls around him. "Okay ladies, I have to take this young one to her mother, so if you can excuse us-"

A hand latched onto Kaito's sleeve. He looked over to see an obviously distressed girl. "You're going to choose her over me?" She screeched.

Kaito gulped, taking a step forward. "It's not that, really," He started but was interrupted by all the other irate girls, who began to close in on Kaito and Alice.

"So this is what Kpop stars experience," Kaito muttered.

"Kaito…" Alice muttered, grabbing onto his shirt.

The gaggle of teenage girls became a mob as they began grabbing at Kaito and Alice like a human tidal wave. The two struggled, but the strength of hormone-induced anger was too powerful. Screaming, the girls began grabbing Kaito all over his body, while Alice was being carried off to God knows where.

"What's going on?" Tanya's voice echoed, and everybody turned to see Tanya glaring at them, along with the other members of the regiment behind her.

"Yoohoo commander, found a date?" Lasagna sang.

Tanya aimed her gun. "You girls can go now," She threatened. The girls dropped Kaito and Alice and scattered.

"Are you two alright?" Nishi asked Kaito and Alice, who stood back up.

"Yeah, I am. I don't know about Alice," Kaito replied.

Alice stood up. "I'm fine," She mumbled. She grabbed Kaito's hand. "Let's go."

….

Kaito, Alice and the rest stood in front of the inn, or what it should be called-a manor.

"Huh, we're all staying at the same place," Naoki whistled.

"That's weird," Tanya commented.

"Wait, so this is where Miho is staying?" Kaito asked, bewildered.

Alice nodded. "Along with a few friends," She added.

"Alice!" There in front of the inn stood Miho, the Anglerfish team and all the other Senshadou team captains.

…..

 **A few minutes prior….**

Miho and Maho stared at each other.

"Oneechan," Miho muttered.

"Miho," Maho said.

"Oneechan!" Miho hugged her, sobbing. "You're back! You're back!" She shouted.

"I'm home," Maho replied, wrapping her arms around Miho. Tears began trickling down her face. "I'm back."

"I was so scared," Miho cried, "I was so scared that you were going to get hurt."

Maho nodded. "I know. But I'm here aren't I?" She answered, "I'm sorry for not contacting you more."

"It's okay, you were busy so I understand," Miho shook her head, "It's just that, if you died, I, I-"

"If you have died, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself," Shiho said, stepping forward.

Maho looked at her, wide-eyed. "Mother-" She began when Shiho embraced her.

"I'm so sorry," She whispered, "I'm sorry you had to go through what you went through."

"It's not your fault," Maho said, "you tried your best."

The Nishizumi clan bearhugged in an emotional reunion while everybody stood around them.

"Nishizumi-dono," Yukari whimpered, wiping a tear from her eye. "this is so heartwarming."

"Commander…" Erika said.

Miho looked at her, before rushing her.

"What? What is this?" Erika shouted.

"I missed you too, Erika-san!" Miho exclaimed. "I'm so glad you're back!"

Erika turned bright red. "What? I, um," She flustered.

The other Kuromorimine girls looked at each other. "What...about...us?" One girl asked.

Miho nodded. "I miss all of you too!" She exclaimed, jumping into the throng of girls.

Maho smiled, before she was rushed by all the other Senshadou commanders.

"Welcome back!" Key shouted.

"I knew you would do well, Mahosha!" Katyusha declared.

"Thanks, all of you," Maho replied, hugging each and every one of the girls.

Miho turned her head. "Alice!" She shouted.

…

Everybody gathered in the inn's lounge room. Friends, brothers and sisters all reunited together.

"Rudolfo!" Anchovy shouted as she propelled herself into Lasagna's arms.

"Chiyomi!" Lasagna grinned as he caught her. "Energetic as always, I see."

Anchovy nodded. "Hey, that's what Anzio is known for," She replied. She pulled at Lasagna's goatee. "You gotta shave this thing off. It's disgusting." She said. "It's really gross."

"No way," Lasagna countered, "This is what brings in the ladies." He smirked. "You're just jealous," He poked Anchovy in the cheek. Anchovy frowned and turned away.

…

The Nishi siblings stared at each other.

Kinuyo bowed. "It's been a while," She mumbled.

Kaori smacked her younger sister on the back. "You're still rigid as hell," She exclaimed, "Lighten up!"

Kinuyo turned red. "Well, I was just brought up this way by mother-"

"Yeah yeah, I know. But you gotta do your own thing," Kaori said, "Drop the whole formal attitude, act like a normal girl."

"I'm sorry," Kinuyo mumbled, looking down at the ground.

"Hey, it's fine," Kaori grabbed Kinuyo and pulled her in for a hug. "I still love you."

"Love you too," Kinuyo whispered.

…

"Earl Grey!" Darjeeling cried, leaning on Earl Grey's shoulder. "It's been so long!"

Earl Grey chuckled as she patted her on the head. "It's okay, it's okay," She shushed, "I'm back."

Darjeeling detached herself from Earl Grey. "I-I'm sorry. It's just that I've been deathly worried for you," She said.

"I understand. We haven't seen each other in years," Earl Grey replied, "You've grown up."

Darjeeling nodded as she wiped her eyes. "You've seen all of my matches, right?"

Earl Grey smiled. "Yeah. You've become such a good commander," She said.

"It's all thanks to you," Darjeeling gave a slight bow.

"Hey, let's get this sappy stuff of of the way," the drill sergeant grunted, standing behind Darjeeling.

"Hey!" Darjeeling turned on him. "Don't say that!"

"William?" Earl Grey clasped her hands together.

"Earl Grey?" the sergeant gasped. Earl Grey rushed to him, hugging him.

"You know this brute?" Darjeeling demanded.

"Brute? No, no no, he is a sweetheart!" Earl Grey shouted, "We met at the Royal Armored Corps!" Darjeeling's jaw dropped.

…...

Tanya towered over Nina, picking her up by her arms. "You really haven't grown," She noted.

"Well, thank you!" Nina exclaimed sarcastically, "That's the first thing you say to me?"

Tanya shrugged. "It's true,"

"It's not my fault you're a giant!" Nina cried.

Tanya grinned. "Oh, you're so cute when you get mad," She snickered as she pulled her sister up against her face.

"Gosh," Nina muttered, "what is with you?"

"You know I missed you," Tanya teased, flicking Nina's head.

"Yeah, I missed you too," Nina rolled her eyes. Tanya gently put her back on the ground.

"Who's that cute girl?" Kaito asked, walking over. He looked at Tanya, then at Nina, who froze.

"That's my sister," Tanya answered, in an annoyed tone.

"Ooh, the one you've been talking about," Kaito said, turning to Nina. He looked over her. "Hm, okay. Not bad." He mumbled.

Nina flushed with embarrassment. "Huh? What is it?" She asked, taking a step back. She instinctively covered her chest. "What are you looking at?"

Kaito put his arm around Nina. "I'm Tanya's boss, but you can call me Kaito," He introduced himself, leaning in closer to the ever blushing Nina. "I knew you'd be cute, considering what Tanya looks like." He kissed her forehead.

Tanya pulled him away from Nina. "What is wrong with you?" She growled, "That's my sister!" She glared at Kaito, who looked at her with a smirk.

….

Alice was surrounded by the Bermuda trio, who were now crying with joy. "I get it," She said, "I missed you too. You guys are my friends." She muttered. The Bermuda trio squealed and hugged her even tighter.

"My, oh my, they're all like children, aren't they?" Chiyo asked.

Arai nodded. "Yes, ma'am," She replied.

Chiyo looked at her. "I'm surprised that you joined the JSDF after graduating the University team," She said.

"I thought that the skills I learned in Senshadou could be applied to the army," Arai laughed, "Though I just ended up on the officer staff. I'm not doing any fighting, but Hiroi is."

"Oh? Is he your boyfriend?" Chiyo asked, instantly curious.

Arai shook her head. "No, no, I will never with that buffoon. Besides, he's ogling at another girl," She explained, pointing. Chiyo looked over, and let out a little chuckle.

…

"It's an honor to meet you!" Hiroi furiously bowed at a stunned Miho. "I am a big fan!"

"Oh," Miho said, "Thank you, and nice to meet you." She bowed. "You've been helping my sister, right?"

"Yup!" Hiroi bumped his chest, "You could say I was her senpai!"

"Not at all," Maho countered, "You were my superior, but it's not much more than that." Hiroi shrunk down, disappointed.

….

After a brief reunion, everybody's attention was not turned on Kaito. All the Senshadou girls crowded him in an awed and impressed state, while the Kuromorimine girls watched with amusement.

"Hey girls," Kaito said, letting out an aura of confidence. "I've heard all of you before on the TV and news. It's an honor to meet all of you."

"Of course you would! I am the greatest after all!" Katyusha declared, staring right up at Kaito.

Kaito smiled. "Ah, the great Katyusha," He said, taking her hand and gently kissed it. "It seems your confidence soares higher than that little body of yours,"

Katyusha froze, a look of shock on her face. "You-you dare insult me?" She sputtered.

"I didn't mean it that way," Kaito added, "I was just saying that…"

"It's fine," Nonna picked up Katyusha and put her on her shoulders. "She is and always will be larger than life."

"Hey, you look pretty good," Key said, eyeing Kaito.

"You too. Your look has a wild flair to it," Kaito replied.

Key raised her eyebrows. "You like this?" She twirled in her Saunders High School uniform. "I see you have good tastes as well."

"Commander," Alisa said exasperatedly, "Please."

"What?" Key asked. "He likes it. Why don't you show off too? You might get the love you need!" She grabbed Alisa and pushed her in front of Kaito. "You like her?" She grinned.

"Hm, she's a bit small in places," Kaito noted. Alisa turned red and ran back into the group of girls.

Erika watched from the back, fidgeting awkwardly. This caught the attention of Darjeeling and Anchovy.

"Look at the way she looks at him," Anchovy whispered, "Is she jealous?"

"No," Darjeeling replied, "She's just the guard dog, that's all."

Maho wriggled her way through the crowd. "Okay, okay girls," She said, "Give him some space. You can all talk to him later." She turned to Kaito. "You, come with me." She ordered.

"What?" Kaito was caught off guard as Maho grabbed his wrist and dragged him out of the room. She hauled him into the hallway, slid open the door of the room across, threw him in and closed the door shut.

Kaito walked over to the low table and sat down on one of the pillows. He had just gotten settled down when the door opened again, and this time Maho had Miho under her arm.

"Have fun, you two," Maho sang before throwing Miho down.

"Wait, what?" Miho turned around to see the door slam in front of her face. Trembling, she turned around to face Kaito, face red. She slowly walked over to the tea table and sat herself across Kaito.

Miho looked at Kaito, who had a frighteningly cold stare directed right at her. _What?_ She thought, _Did I do something wrong?_ She shuffled in her seat, filled with worry and anxiety. She glanced at her feet, before looking back up at Kaito. His unemotional expression quite frankly scared her. _So this is how a war hero's like! No wonder, he's been through a lot._

Kaito looked at Miho, who looked confident but inside he was in a panic. _What do I say?_ He thought, _What the hell am I supposed to do?_ He noticed that every time they made eye contact Miho would quickly look at the ground. _Oh God, am I making a scary face?_ He coughed, and abruptly stood up, forcing Miho to jolt backwards.

"Miho," He started, "or, dear sister, it's a honor to finally meet you." He bowed. His hands were balled into a fist, and were sweating.

"Oh, Oniisan, it's a pleasure to meet you as well!" Miho squeaked.

Kaito turned red. "Oniisan…" He muttered, "That's a bit…"

"Oh, then what shall I call you?" Miho giggled, her nervousness swiftly fading, "Is oniichan better?"

Kaito's face burned up even harder. "That? Please, I don't think I can take that. Just call me Kaito!" He shouted.

Miho nodded. "Okay, Kaito-san," She said, standing up as well. She bowed in return. "I can't believe that I would have my half-brother and war hero in front of me."

"Hey, you're the best Senshadou commander in Japan," Kaito countered.

Miho blushed, turning her head away. "Aw, that's not true. I'm not…"

"Hey! You're so modest, you can admit it," Kaito said.

"Oh, my sister and Darjeeling are better than me for sure,"

"Oh, once or twice doesn't count,"

"My sister fought with you,"

"I guess that's true,"

"Did you know that I was your half-sister?" Miho suddenly asked.

Kaito nodded. "I was aware of our connection," He replied, "All those years where Kuromorimine won the Senshadou tournaments, when you beat your sister. I watched it all with fascination. I was enthralled to know that you were family, but knowing that we would never be able to meet," He sighed, "You could say I was a bit depressed about that."

Miho hugged him. "Well, here I am," She smiled, "I'm glad that you were there to support me, even when I didn't even know you existed."

Kaito wrapped his arms around Miho's back. "Miho…." He muttered, tears trickling out of his eyes.

"Don't cry, this is a happy day for both of us," Miho said, wiping his eyes.

"Why are you crying then?" Kaito grinned. Miho touched her own face; there were tears rolling down as well. The both of them let out a little chuckle.

"Kaito…" Miho sputtered, squeezing tighter. The two teenagers stood there, crying together out of happiness. Maho had the door slightly open, looking at their embrace, watching with tears in her own eyes.

….

"Excuse me," A cold voice interrupted their embrace. Kaito and Miho turned to see Shiho staring right at them, her arms crossed.

"Mother!" Miho jumped off of Kaito. "When were you-"

"For a while now," Shiho said, glaring at Kaito. He tried to maintain his composure, but even his usual unemotional expression cracked at Shiho's death stare, and he meekly sat back down at the tea table. "I would like it if you didn't interact with Miho in such a manner." She said.

Miho looked up at her. "Mother-"

Shiho held her hand up, before walking over to the tea table. She sat across Kaito, with Miho silently sitting next to her. Maho watched from the hallway this interaction between the three, annoyed by her mother's interference. But she entered in the room, and sat next to her mother.

"Aunt Shiho," Kaito sputtered, "I know what you might think of me, but please-"

"Silence," Shiho commanded, and Kaito shut up. She stared down at him. "I thought you would know that you shouldn't talk to my daughters-"

"I hope you aren't mistreating my son," A male voice laughed, and Shiho's face strained. Kaito straightened his back up, his face once devoid of all emotions. Kijiro made himself comfortable next to his son, letting off a sigh as he did so. Tanya silently joined them, sitting next to Kaito.

"You," Shiho snarled.

"Oh my," Kijiro smiled, "So hostile. It's been how many years?"

"At least ten," Shiho grumbled, "Without the vermin you are."

Kijiro smirked. "Well, here we are. Sitting across each other. First time meeting my daughters, as well," He looked at both Miho and Maho. "I see you've both grown up to be wonderful girls." He exclaimed.

"Don't talk to them!" Shiho snapped.

"I can talk to whoever I please," Kijiro retorted, "I am not a child you can control."

"Well, at least I don't send them into a war," Shiho pointed out, "Sacrificing your own child for a terrible cause. That's disgusting."

Kijiro shrugged. "Hey, weren't you willing to sacrifice an entire tank team for a tenth consecutive win in the Senshadou tournament? Didn't you disown Miho for saving her classmates and losing the battle? It seems you were quite willing to throw your daughter away for acting on her own volition, for valuing lives over something as trivial as Senshadou," He spat, "And I never forced Kaito's hand in joining the JSDF. That was his own volition, right?"

Kaito nodded. "Yes, father," He replied.

"See? I may seem like a horrible person, but at least I'm not a _hypocrite,_ " He stared at Shiho, who sat there, gritting her teeth in anger. Miho and Maho sat there silent, clearly uncomfortable. Kaito glanced at Maho, and they made eye contact. They conveyed their emotions through their eyes, and they understood that their parents were both unreasonable.

"You are a real bastard," Shiho muttered, "Good thing I left you. If my girls had grown up with you as a parent…."

"Oh, what? What would have happened to them? Would things have gone differently?" Kijiro exclaimed, "Are you such a stellar parent for them that you didn't need my help?"

"I admit, I wasn't the best of mothers," Shiho hung her head low, "But mothers are more close to their children that the fathers in a family. I think that says a lot."

"Are you saying I'm not close to my children?" Kijiro demanded, "I am very close to Kaito!" He slapped Kaito on the back, who jolted forwards. "I care for him more than anybody else in the world!"

"Thank you father," Kaito said.

"And yet you sent your daughter to Okinawa without hesitation," Shiho pointed out.

"Eh, I wasn't really close to them as you, so it wasn't much of a hard choice. And the lives of a million people were at stake. I have to make sacrifices for the own good," Kijiro grunted.

Shiho glared at him. "What if Maho died? That was a real possibility!" She slammed her fist against the table.

"Kaito almost died as well," Kijiro countered, "I was very worried for him."

"You sicken me," Shiho spat.

Kijiro chuckled as he stood up. "It was nice meeting you, dear," He said, "But I must go now."

"Dear…" Shiho muttered as Kijiro left the room.

Tanya stood up as well. "Kaito-sama, let us go," She suggested.

Kaito nodded. "Alright," He replied, letting Tanya help him to his feet. He was about to leave the room when Shiho stopped him.

"Do you love that man?" She demanded.

Kaito looked at her. "Of course. If I didn't love him, who would?" He and Tanya left the room, leaving the Nishizumi women sitting there silently.

* * *

 **Hoo boy! I am back baby! Have ya missed me? I really am sorry for this quite long hiatus, but oh am I back in the business! This story will only get more and more intense! This story has now over 400 pages, so yeah this google doc has trouble loading. Anyways, I hope to upload the next chapter soon, so until then! Also, please leave a review! I always appreciate it.**

 **P.S. I'll also update Blood vs Iron as well, so look out for that!**


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